HINCHINGBROOKE

SCHOOL

Policy Statement

on

CURRICULUM COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Drawn up by:                  Governors’ Curriculum Group

Date:                                   Updated March 2000

                                              September 2001

CURRICULUM COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Section 23 of the 1988 Education Act requires Local Education Authorities to set up procedures for the consideration of complaints relating to curriculum and religious worship.

The arrangements outlined below do not cover complaints about the actions of individual teachers or the headteacher, nor are they intended to cover matters such as discipline, uniform and admissions.

The arrangements cover complaints made by parents and others in respect of the performance of duties or exercise of powers by the LEA or by the Governing Bodies of schools maintained by the LEA.

The duties covered by the complaints procedure are:

(i)        the provision of a curriculum, including religious education and worship, which meets the general requirements of Sections 1 and 2 of the Act;

(ii)       the implementation of the National Curriculum and compliance with Orders and Regulations made about its requirements and exceptions to its provision (Sections 4, 10 and 17);

(iii)      provision to pupils of compulsory school age of courses leading to an external qualification, only if that qualification and the associated syllabus or syllabus criteria have been approved (Section 5);

(iv)      provision of religious education and worship as required by the Act and other enactments (Sections 6-10 and 12);

(v)       in the case of an LEA, establishment of a Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) and review of the agreed syllabus for the area if the SACRE so requires (Section 11);

(vi)      the need to act reasonably in deciding whether or not to be associated with an application for exemption from all or part of the National Curriculum in order to carry out developmental work (Section 16);

(vii)     in the case of a Governing Body consideration of appeals by parents about the temporary withdrawal of pupils from part or all of the provisions of the National Curriculum (Section 19);

(viii)    operation of charging policies in relation to the curriculum (Section 109);

(ix)      compliance with regulations about the provision of information (Section 22);

(x)       compliance with any other enactments relating to the curriculum.

There are three levels at which complaints can be considered:

a)        Preliminary Discussion

Many complaints or potential complaints can best be resolved locally in discussion with the Head or other staff of the School or in other informal discussion. This is where the process should start and unless there are exceptional circumstances there should be full discussion at the informal stage as a first step. Those with complaints will normally be advised to seek to resolve them through informal discussion before embarking on the formal stage. Similarly in respect of complaints or potential complaints about actions of the LEA the informal stage would involve discussions with appropriate officers of the LEA.

b)        Formal Complaint to the Governing Body

If attempts to settle the complaint informally have failed, the Headteacher will supply the complainant with the name of the LEA's Named Officer (Curriculum Complaints Procedure) based in the Headquarters Office, Castle Court, Cambridge (referred to hereafter as the 'Named Officer'), and with copies of the relevant documents explaining the arrangements for considering complaints.

The complainant should set out the complaint in writing and may submit it either to the Clerk of the Governing Body, whose address is available at the School, or to the 'Named Officer' in the LEA. This written notification should make clear exactly what the complaint is and should also make it clear that it is to be formally considered under these arrangements.

c)        Formal Complaint to the LEA

This formal stage will be used if either:

i)       the complainant has complained formally to the Governing Body, is not satisfied with the outcome, and wishes to complain to the LEA, or

ii)      the complaint relates to something which is solely the responsibility of the LEA and a complaint to the Governors would therefore not be appropriate.

The complainant should set out the complaint in writing and send it to the 'Named Officer'. This written notification should make clear exactly what the complaint is and should also make it clear that it is to be formally considered under these arrangements. The 'Named Officer' will promptly acknowledge receipt of the complaint.

A complainant who is still dissatisfied after these arrangements have been exhausted will be able to complain to the Secretary of State.

The above is a shortened version of the full procedure, copies of which can be obtained from the Clerk to the Governors. The procedure has been operative from 1st September 1989.