Concerns & Complaints

We Want to Hear From You

At Manuden Primary School, we want parents and carers to feel confident raising questions, worries or concerns with us.

Most concerns can be resolved quickly through a conversation with the member of staff who knows the situation best. We encourage families to speak to us early so that we can understand the issue and work together towards a resolution.

Our approach is intended to be fair, open, respectful and straightforward.

Raising a Concern

If you have a concern about your child’s learning, wellbeing, friendships or day-to-day experience at school, please normally speak to your child’s class teacher first.

The class teacher will usually be best placed to understand what has happened and to help resolve the matter.

If the concern cannot be resolved at this level, or if it is more serious, you may ask for it to be considered by the Headteacher.

Informal resolution is encouraged because many issues can be dealt with quickly in this way. However, you do not have to complete an informal stage before making a formal complaint. Our current procedure expressly allows this.

Making a Formal Complaint

If you wish to make a formal complaint, please contact the School Office and make clear that you would like the matter to be treated as a formal complaint.

Formal complaints should normally be directed to:

Phil Molyneux – Headteacher

You may write to us, email us or use the complaint form contained within our Complaints Policy and Procedure. You do not have to use the form.

Email: office@manuden.essex.sch.uk
Telephone: 01279 813370

Address:
Manuden Primary School
The Street
Manuden
Bishop’s Stortford
CM23 1DE

If Your Complaint Is About the Headteacher

If your complaint concerns the Headteacher, it should be addressed to:

Sarah Turner – Chair of Governors

Please send it via the School Office and mark it:

Private and Confidential – Chair of Governors

The Chair of Governors will deal with the complaint in accordance with the school’s published procedure.

Our Complaints Process

Our procedure has three main stages:

Stage 1 – Informal Resolution
Raise the concern with the member of staff best placed to help. Most concerns are resolved at this stage.

Stage 2 – Formal Complaint
A formal complaint is considered by the Headteacher, or by the appropriate person where the complaint concerns the Headteacher.

We aim to acknowledge formal complaints within 3 school days and normally provide a written outcome within 15 school days.

Stage 3 – Governing Body Panel Review
If you remain dissatisfied following Stage 2, you may request a review by a panel of the Governing Body.

Requests should normally be made within 10 school days of the Stage 2 outcome. The panel will normally be arranged within 20 school days where reasonably practicable, with the outcome normally issued within 5 school days of the hearing.

Stage 3 completes the school’s complaints procedure.

Matters That Follow a Different Procedure

Some concerns are dealt with through separate statutory or specialist procedures rather than the general complaints process.

These can include matters relating to:

• school admissions and admission appeals;
• statutory SEND or EHCP decisions made by the Local Authority;
• child protection investigations;
• suspensions and permanent exclusions;
• staff employment matters; and
• some data protection issues.

Our Complaints Policy explains which route applies in these circumstances.

If you are unsure which process applies, please contact the School Office and we will help direct you appropriately.

Safeguarding Concerns

The complaints procedure must never delay action where there is a concern that a child may be at risk of harm.

Safeguarding matters requiring a child protection response will be managed through the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

If You Remain Dissatisfied

Once you have completed the school’s complaints procedure, you may contact the Department for Education if you believe the school has not handled your complaint properly.

The DfE normally expects complainants to complete the school’s own procedure first, except in limited circumstances such as where a child may be at risk of harm, is missing education, or the school is preventing someone from completing its procedure.

Department for Education – Complain about a school

Ofsted may also receive complaints about issues affecting the school as a whole, but it does not resolve individual disputes or overturn the outcome of a school complaint.

Complaints Policy and Procedure

Please read our full:

Complaints Policy and Procedure 2026–27

This sets out the process, timescales, responsibilities and arrangements for Governing Body review in full.

Working Together

We understand that concerns and complaints can sometimes involve strong feelings.

We will listen carefully, consider concerns fairly and communicate respectfully throughout the process. We ask parents and carers to communicate with staff in the same professional and respectful manner.

Raising a concern will not disadvantage your child.

Our aim is always to resolve issues wherever possible, learn where improvements are needed and maintain positive relationships between home and school.

Growing Hearts • Growing Minds • Growing Dreams