Compliments and Complaints Procedures

Scope and Purpose

The College is committed to excellence in education and training. We aim to provide a high quality service to students, parents, employers and other customers and we are grateful for any compliments and positive feedback from our students, their parents or their employers.

However, sometimes things go wrong and if you are unhappy about an aspect of College provision, for example if you have a course or subject complaint or a problem with service or an administrative procedure, we hope that you will raise the issue with us and give us the opportunity to put it right.

We would like you to communicate your complaint or concern as soon as possible so that we can take action. There are various procedures in place which should help you in addressing your complaint. The purpose of the procedures is to enable such complaints to be dealt with promptly, thoroughly and fairly.

You will not be treated adversely as a result of making a complaint and your complaint can be treated in confidence on request.

A Guide to raising any issues

If you are unhappy about anything at College, there are several ways to draw our attention to it:

  • In the first instance, you should raise the issue with the appropriate member of staff.
  • As a next step, you could also discuss your concerns with your Personal Tutor.
  • If it is a complaint about an aspect of your teaching or learning, your tutor will refer you to the appropriate Programme Leader and he or she will, if necessary, pass the matter on to the relevant head of faculty.
  • For serious complaints, you can contact the Principal in writing.
  • For concerns requiring an immediate solution, which concern the quality of College amenities, you can use the Quality Alert system at both receptions.

Formal Complaints

If your complaint is more serious, you may wish to use our formal complaints procedure.

  • Put your complaint in writing to the Principal. You may find it useful to talk to a friend, colleague or advice agency to help you put your complaint together.
  • An acknowledgement will be sent within five working days and you may be asked to to submit further details of the complaint.
  • Your complaint will be dealt with fully and fairly through the College systems.
  • Following our internal investigation we will communicate the outcome to you in writing or in person at a meeting, if the complainant is happy with the latter approach and believes that this is appropriate. The letter or report will also be sent to those involved, with a copy to the Principal and Quality Manager. This response will be made within three weeks of the acknowledgement of the complaint.
  • If you are still not satisfied we can offer the services of an independent arbitrator (see information on the College Ombudsman) who will conduct their own investigation and respond within ten working days.
  • If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the investigations into your complaint you may contact:
    - the Learning and Skills Council or
    - the Department for Education and Skills.

Time Periods

The time periods as set out in this procedure are for guidance and may be subject to
extension, particularly outside academic terms. Where any such extensions are made, they will be notified to the complainant in writing.

THE COLLEGE OMBUDSMAN

Introduction

  • The Ombudsman provides a further forum for complainants against the College to ensure that the College has acted fairly in its investigation of the complaint.
  • The Ombudsman will be appointed by the Corporation for a three year period and will not be an employee.
  • The Ombudsman will communicate with the College through the Corporation Secretary.

Scope

The College Ombudsman will investigate complaints against the College, but only where the complainant has exhausted the College’s complaints procedures.

The Ombudsman procedures allow for complaints which arise where:

  • the College has failed to fulfil its legal duties
  • there is a complaint about the quality of a course
  • the complainant considers the College has acted unreasonably
  • the College has failed to ensure that the provision of natural justice has been followed in relation to actions affecting individuals.

The Ombudsman’s procedures will not consider complaints:

  • which are subject to legal hearing
  • where an appeal to an industrial tribunal would be more appropriate
  • concerning contents of syllabuses which are matters for the examination bodies
  • unless the complainant makes his/her identify known to the Ombudsman (There may be occasions where a request for confidentiality may be reasonable. This will arise only in exceptional circumstances)
  • normally more than three months after the action taken by the College in response to the original complaint
  • which are considered to be clearly unreasonable, malicious or vexatious
  • which have not been through the College complaints procedure
  • from staff as employees in relation to their employment.

Procedures

Initial stages:

  • the Ombudsman should be contacted through the Corporation Secretary
  • complaints should be received in writing and will be acknowledged within one working week
  • the Ombudsman will check that the complaint is within the criteria for complaints outlined above. If it is not the complainant will be contacted and informed that the complaint cannot be investigated
  • the Ombudsman will contact the College to check that the complaint has been considered at College level
  • if it is clear that the complaint has not gone through all the stages of the College’s internal complaints procedure the complainant will be referred to the Corporation Secretary.

Investigation stage

The Ombudsman will personally investigate the facts and collect all relevant information from the complainant and the College. Where appropriate the Ombudsman will have informal discussion with the parties.

Decisions

The Ombudsman will send a report on the findings to the complainant and to the Corporation Secretary. Reasons will be given for the decision to support or not to support the complainant. The decision of the Ombudsman is final.

Timescale

The normal timescale would be a decision within twelve working weeks. This may be extended in complicated cases or where the complaint is made during the summer holiday period.

Annual report

An annual report on findings (if any) will be made by the Ombudsman to the Governing Body.

Principal (TESP)/Head of Quality (JWEH): September 2007

Top of page