At Florence Melly Community Primary School, we value the close partnership we have with our families and wider community. We are committed to listening to concerns, responding fairly and resolving issues as quickly as possible. Most concerns can be addressed through open and respectful communication before a formal complaint becomes necessary.
Our School Complaints Procedure explains how concerns and complaints can be raised, the stages involved and the timescales for responding. The procedure applies to parents, carers and members of the public and can be downloaded below.
The difference between a concern and a complaint
A concern may be defined as “an expression of worry or doubt over an issue considered to be important for which reassurances are sought.”
A complaint may be defined as “an expression of dissatisfaction however made, about actions taken or a lack of action.”
It is in everyone’s interest that concerns and complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage. Many issues can be resolved informally, without the need to use the formal stages of the complaints procedure. At Florence Melly Community Primary School, we take concerns seriously and will make every effort to resolve matters as quickly as possible.
If you have difficulty discussing a concern with a particular member of staff, we will respect your views. In these cases, please contact the Headteacher, who will either deal with the concern directly or refer you to another member of staff. Likewise, if the member of staff involved feels unable to deal with the matter, an alternative member of staff may be identified. The ability to consider the concern objectively and impartially is the most important factor.
We understand, however, that there are occasions when people wish to raise their concerns formally. In these circumstances, the school will seek to resolve the issue through the stages outlined within our complaints procedure.
Helpful Guidance
- Parentkind Parent Guide to School Complaints
- Liverpool City Council Guidance on Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Write a Complaint
To access our school’s complaints procedure, please click the link below. Paper copies are available free of charge from the school office upon request.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Information about the school’s arrangements for supporting pupils with SEND, including arrangements for handling complaints relating to SEND provision, can be found in our SEND Information Report.
If you have a concern about SEND provision, we encourage you to discuss this in the first instance with your child’s class teacher and/or our SENDCo, Mrs Christina O’Keefe. Most concerns can be resolved through discussion and partnership working. Where concerns remain unresolved, parents and carers should follow the school’s formal complaints procedure.
If, after completing the school’s complaints procedure, you remain dissatisfied with matters relating to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, including assessments, provision or placement, a separate statutory appeals process may apply through Liverpool City Council and the First-tier SEND Tribunal.
