Feedback / Complaints

Policy & Procedures

2023 - 2026

Version control table

Table of contents

1. General Principles        3

2. How to report a complaint        4

3. Taking your complaint further        6

4. Expectations under this procedure        6

Confidentiality of individual complaints        7

1. General Principles

Solutions Pledge2Learn is committed to providing the very highest standards of provision and support and places great value on its strong partnership with parents. We recognise that from time to time concerns or complaints may arise and it is our aim to work with all parties involved towards a satisfactory resolution.

The aim of this procedure is to enable those involved to reach a resolution of their concerns by providing a transparent and easily understood process for handling complaints. We will do this by:  

• Attempting to resolve concerns through informal discussions at the earliest stage  
• Providing named contacts and a timescale for a response to be made by Pledge2Learn
• Focusing on resolving complaints rather than apportioning blame  
• Promoting confidentiality and discretion  
• Being forthright in dealing with vexatious, abusive and malicious complaints

All complaints, regardless of the subject matter, will first of all be reviewed by the Feedback & Complaints Co-ordinator to ensure that the appropriate staff in the provision are notified. If after reviewing the nature of your complaint it is decided that an alternative statutory procedure applies then we will inform you. Examples of such complaints include those relating to exclusions or admissions.

2. How to report a complaint

Stage 1 - Informal concerns or complaints

Concerns or complaints would initially be discussed informally with the relevant member of staff, for example the subject facilitator, coach or tutor with a view to resolving the issue.

There is no need at this stage for the complaint to be made in writing, however the member of staff will make a note of any agreed actions using the form at Annex A: Initial Complaint Discussion Form and this will be retained as a record.

If the complaint has already been discussed with the member of staff, or if that would be inappropriate, a senior manager (this could be the centre manager or other senior member) will discuss the complaint again with you with a view to seeking to resolve the matter informally. We would expect the vast majority of concerns or complaints to be resolved at this early stage. In the unusual event that your complaint remains unresolved after discussions with the appropriate member of staff then you may put your complaint in writing and this will be handled under Stage 2.

Stage 2 - Formal Complaint Investigation

If your complaint cannot be resolved informally then you will be given the opportunity to put it formally in writing using the form at Annex B. You will need to send this to the Feedback & Complaints Co-ordinator (send to admin@pledge2learn.co.uk and title the email subject header as “Complaint”) within 10 working days of the conclusion of Stage 1. We will then appoint an appropriate person to investigate your complaint further (The Investigating Officer) who will:

• Acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days.  
• Investigate the complaint and then decide how best to resolve it within a further 10 working days.  
• Provide a written response to you outlining how the investigation was conducted and the outcome of the complaint, as well as offering you an opportunity to discuss the outcome if appropriate.
• This will normally be within 5 working days of completing the investigation.  
• Advise you on the next steps if after this review your complaint has not been resolved which will be covered under Stage 3.

If your complaint has not been resolved at Stage 2 then you may write within 10 working days of the notification of the Stage 2 outcome to the Feedback & Complaints Co-ordinator requesting a Formal Complaint to be heard by the Managing Director and explaining why you feel that your complaint has not been fully addressed at Stage 2. You should do this using the reporting form at Annex C. We will acknowledge your request within 5 working days and inform you of the arrangements for the Complaint and its handling to be reviewed with the Managing Director.

Stage 3 - Complaint reviewed with the Complaints Panel

A meeting with the Complaints Panel will be convened normally within 20 working days of your request. The Complaints Panel are made up of members of the Advisory Board who act as a critical friend to challenge Pledge2Learn where needed.

Parents/ carers may be accompanied at the panel meeting if they so wish.

The Panel will consider the following:

• any appropriate action to be taken to resolve the complaint;  
• whether to dismiss the complaint in whole or in part;  
• whether to uphold the complaint in whole or in part;
• whether changes to the Provision procedures in the future may be necessary.

The Panel will take into account whether the complaint has been handled properly and reasonably in accordance with this procedure and whether the Stage 2 outcome was reasonable and appropriate.

You will normally be informed of the outcome at the end of the review by the Panel and this will be confirmed in writing within 7 working days and will be available to the complainant and, where relevant, the person complained about. A copy of panel meetings will be retained on record and reviewed by the proprietor, senior leadership and advisory board members.

The decision of the Panel is Final.

The Panel can:

● dismiss the complaint in whole or in part;

● uphold the complaint in whole or in part;

• decide on the appropriate action to be taken to resolve the complaint;

● recommend changes to the provisions systems or procedures to ensure that

problems of a similar nature do not recur.

The actions decided upon will be recorded as above

3. Taking your complaint further

Although the decision of the Panel is final under this procedure if you consider that the Provision or its representatives is proposing to act unreasonably, or has failed to carry out its statutory duties then you may write to the Education and Inclusion Service at North Lincolnshire Council.

4. Expectations under this procedure

When you bring a complaint to us under this procedure you may expect the provision to:

• Take your complaint seriously  
• Treat you with courtesy and respect  
• Deal with it with discretion and confidentiality (if the matter relates to the safety and well-being of a child then we reserve the right to share details with other agencies)  
• Offer you the opportunity to be accompanied by a friend, adviser or colleague  
• Meet the timescales set unless there is good reasons to extend these – in which case you will be informed  
• Seek and offer resolution at all stages  
• Inform you of the action taken to resolve your complaint and of any measures to ensure that a similar complaint does not arise in the future

In turn we expect that:  

• Our staff will be treated with respect  
• You will be mindful of the need to keep information relating to children confidential in the interests of all our young people  
• That you will enter into the procedure in the spirit of seeking resolution  
• If we consider that disciplinary action may be necessary against our staff then we will deal with this under our disciplinary procedure and in confidence

In the unlikely event that anyone bringing a complaint is considered by the centre manager to be acting unreasonably or that the complaint is malicious or vexatious then the centre manager will intervene and appropriate restrictions may be imposed.

Confidentiality of individual complaints

Statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept confidential except when the Secretary of State or a body conducting an inspection under section 109 of the 2008 Act requests access to them.

If you are viewing this document online there are electronic links below to the documents.  If this is a hard copy please request the appropriate form.

Link to: Annex A: Initial Complaint Discussion Form

Link to: Annex B: Stage 2 Complaint Form

Link to: Annex B: Stage 3 Complaint Form

Complaints will be tracked using the Tracker Form