This Policy is primarily intended to guide the community members of Universal Wisdom School (UWS), Balewadi, about the procedure of raising complaints and to inform them how grievances are handled step by step. For the purposes of this Policy, a complaint is any matter about which a parent or other UWS community member is unhappy and seeks action by the School. We will treat complaints in accordance with the three-stage procedure outlined in this document.
UWS will maintain a written record of all Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 complaints. The records will include the actions taken by the School as a result of the complaint, regardless of whether the complaint is upheld. UWS will keep records of complaints in order to monitor any patterns of concern. Retention of records will follow the guidance of the regulatory authority and will comply with the relevant data protection legislation. All correspondence, statements, and records relating to individual complaints will be kept confidential.
All School staff will be made aware of the complaint procedure and will be expected to familiarise themselves with the School’s process of dealing with complaints to ensure they can be of the most assistance when an issue is brought to their attention. This policy explains that the process and the steps it outlines should be referred to and followed by all complainants should an issue arise that causes them concern.
UWS hopes and expects most complaints to be resolved quickly and informally, usually within five working days. If parents have a complaint, they should, in the first instance, contact the Homeroom Teacher of their child/ward. In most cases, the matter will be resolved at this point. If the HRT and parent cannot resolve the matter alone, it may be necessary for them to contact the Vice Principal/Principal.
If the complaint cannot be resolved on an informal basis, the complainants should put their complaint in writing to the School Principal. After considering the complaint, the principal will decide the appropriate course of action to take.
If complainants seek to invoke Stage 3 (following a failure to reach an earlier resolution) they will be referred to the Director or their designee who has been appointed by the Board to call hearings of the Complaints Panel.
We encourage parents to bring any concern to our attention as early as possible so that we can rectify a problem or explain the School's position before a concern becomes more serious. A complaint will be treated as an expression of genuine dissatisfaction, to which we will respond. All staff are expected to listen to what parents and stakeholders are saying and to work in partnership to resolve any problems or concerns. Many worries or concerns can usually be managed without the need for formal procedures, providing that the concern is taken seriously and addressed at an early stage. In many cases, the Homeroom Teacher will receive the first approach and the issue is resolved immediately. However, formal procedures will need to be invoked when initial attempts to resolve the issue remain unsuccessful, and the person raising the concern remains dissatisfied and wishes to take the matter further. Our School aims to be fair, open, and honest when dealing with any complaint. We give careful consideration to all complaints and deal with them as swiftly as possible. We aim to resolve any complaint through dialogue and mutual understanding, and, in all cases, we put the interests of the student above all other issues. We provide sufficient opportunity for any complaint to be fully discussed and then resolved. It is inevitable in any institution that there are occasions when parents or other stakeholders are dissatisfied with the service provided. This Policy advises all persons on how to direct a complaint and the potential escalation procedures around this.
If the complaint cannot be resolved on an informal basis, the complainants should put their complaint in writing to the School Principal. After considering the complaint, the principal will decide the appropriate course of action to take.
Students’ complaints or concerns will be treated in a confidential manner and with respect. Knowledge of the complaint or concern will be limited to the Head of School and those directly involved. It is the School's Policy that complaints made by parents will not rebound adversely on their child/ward in any way.
