Complaints Procedure (PDF) - Trafford College

Complaints Procedure
Reviewed By: Quality Improvement Manager Review Date: October 2014
Approved by: Deputy Principal Approval Date: October 2013
Proofed by : Quality Unit Issue Date: October 2013
E&D Impact Assessed: Yes Impact Assessed Date: August 2011
PURPOSE
To provide a clear procedure to be followed in the event of a complaint that the College is
not meeting the standard of service described in the Student Charter. Trafford College
encourages complaints, comments and feedback, because we value feedback from our
users, as our aim is to continually improve our service.
SCOPE
This procedure is to be used in the event of any person disputing the College’s delivery of
standards outlined in the Student Charter.
PROCEDURE
1. The complainant should in the first instance, attempt to resolve the problem
through a process of informal negotiation. In cases involving students this
negotiation should be with his or her teacher/personal tutor and/or assessor (in the
case of employer based learners). In the case of other persons, the relevant Head
of Department will try to resolve the problem.
2. If at any time you are not satisfied with the way the problem is being handled, or
you wish to bypass the informal stage and to lodge a formal complaint, we would
like you to:
• Give us your name, address, email address and appropriate telephone
numbers
• Explain exactly what you are dissatisfied with
Please help us by completing the complaint form on the final page of this document
including the above information. If you would like help in putting anything in writing
you can telephone Hilary Montrose, in the Quality Improvement Department, at the
College on 0161 886 7034, who will arrange for appropriate assistance.
If you wish, you can ask someone to handle your complaint on your behalf. This can
be a relative, friend or nominee. We place great importance on keeping your affairs
confidential, so if you want someone to handle your complaint for you, please let us
know this in writing.
After you have completed the complaints form, send it to the College. If you prefer you
may email it to hilary.montrose@trafford.ac.uk .The Quality Improvement Department will
acknowledge the complaint and forward the details to the relevant Head of Department. In
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those cases where the Head of Department is the subject of the complaint, the formal
complaint will be sent to the appropriate member of the Executive Leadership Team.
If a Head of Department or member of the Executive Leadership Team receives a written
complaint directly, then the details should be passed to the Quality Improvement Unit so it
can be logged and acknowledged within 3 working days.
3. On receipt of the complaint from the Quality Improvement Unit the Head of
Department will investigate the complaint and, in normal circumstances, respond to
the complainant within 10 working days. The response should include relevant
information about the investigation and will detail any corrective action the College
intends to take.
4. If the outcome of the process is unsatisfactory to the complainant, then a request
may be made for a review by any of the previously uninvolved Assistant Principals.
The result will be communicated within 5 working days.
5. If the complainant is not satisfied with the response from the relevant Assistant
Principal, then a review may be requested from the Deputy Principal. The result will
be communicated within 5 working days
6. If you are not happy with the review of your complaint by the Deputy Principal, a
review by the Principal (or by the Chair of the Corporation, if your complaint is
against the Principal or the Corporation) can be requested. The result will be
communicated within 5 working days
7. Where the complainant is not satisfied with the response by the Principal (or by the
Chair of the Corporation, if your complaint is against the Principal or the
Corporation) you should contact the Skills Funding Agency:
http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/aboutus/contactus/complaints/
In the case of a Higher Education student who is not satisfied after the appeal
stages, they may make a further complaint to their Higher Education Institution via
their liaison tutor or in the case of Higher National Students, Edexcel require
centres to contact their regional office.
When dealing with complaints, College staff will ensure that financial and/or personal
details will be dealt with according to the Data Protection Policy to ensure confidentiality.
College staff will ensure that people who complain are not subject to discrimination or
retribution.
Monitoring of Complaints
The Deputy Principal will monitor all complaints. Monitoring will be carried out termly with
Heads of Department sending relevant files and copies of the Complaints Record forms to
the Quality Improvement Unit. An annual summary will be produced for ELT and the
Curriculum & Quality Committee
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COMPLAINT FORM
Please return when completed to the college reception or email to
hilary.montrose@trafford.ac.uk
Please give your name and your relationship to the college (e.g. parent, employer, student,
etc). If a student, please give your course name.
Address:
Tel No:
Post Code:
Please give details below of the complaint (attach extra pages, any letters, etc and note on
this sheet what is attached). If your complaint relates to a course, please name it and - if it is
part-time - give the day or evening you attend.
Signed:..............................................................…........
(if on behalf of the complainant, please identify by
name and status)
Date: ...................................................
***************************************************************************************************************
FOR OFFICIAL USE
Complaint Form No:
Remarks:
Date Received:
Sent to:
Date:
Initials ......... Date ................
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Gender: Male □ Female □
Do you have a learning difficulty or disability? Yes □ No □
Asian/British-Bangladeshi Any other Black/Black White British
British
Asian/British-Indian Chinese White Irish
Asian/British-Pakistani Mixed-White & Asian Any other White
Any other Asian/Asian Mixed-White & Black
Other
British
African
Black/British-African
Mixed-White & Black
Caribbean
Not Known/Not
Provided
Black/British-Caribbean Any Other Mixed
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