Complaints and Concerns
We are committed to resolving concerns quickly, fairly and at the earliest possible stage.
Most concerns can be resolved effectively by working directly with the school. We strongly encourage students, parents and carers to raise any issues with leadership at the school as soon as they arise so that they can be addressed promptly and appropriately.
Before making a complaint
If you have any questions or concerns, these should normally be raised directly with the school in the first instance. This may involve contacting an appropriate member of staff, such as a teacher, Head of Year, or a member of the senior leadership team. You can do this by telephoning the school office who will direct your question or concern to an appropriate member of staff.
In the vast majority of cases, this approach leads to a quicker and more effective resolution than progressing directly to the formal stages of the complaints process.
Stage 1 – Informal Resolution (Expected first step)
Stage 1 is the first stage of the complaints process and is where most issues are successfully resolved.
At this stage:
- Your concern should be directed to the Headteacher – alex.wirth@nclt.ac.uk
- The school will acknowledge your concern within 3 school days
- An appropriate member of staff will review the matter and respond, which may include a senior leader where appropriate
- This may involve discussion in person, by telephone, email or in writing
- In many cases, providing clarification or further information helps to resolve issues quickly
This stage ensures concerns are considered promptly by the staff best placed to resolve them. We take all concerns seriously and aim to resolve them quickly and fairly.
Stage 2 – Formal Complaint
If your concern has not been resolved at Stage 1, you may escalate the matter to a formal complaint.
At Stage 2:
- A formal investigation will be carried out
- The complaint will be reviewed by a senior member of staff in school (exceptions are highlighted in the complaints policy)
- You will receive a written response outlining the findings within 20 school days
Important:
Stage 2 complaints should normally only be submitted after Stage 1 has been completed and the college has had the opportunity to resolve the concern, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
To submit a Stage 2 complaint, please complete the form below
Formal Complaint (Stage 2) Form – Fill in form
Stage 3 – Review
If you remain dissatisfied following Stage 2, you may request a further review.
To request a Stage 3 review, please complete the form below
Formal Complaint Stage 3 Form – Fill in form
Further Information
Full details of the complaints process can be found in the Trust Complaints Policy:
