Abbotswood Academy is committed to providing excellent customer service and care to all professionals we work with.

At Abbotswood Academy, we aim to provide the highest standards of teaching, learning, and development for Early Years Professionals. We understand we may not always get it right and individuals may not be satisfied with the service and support we are providing. We will ensure to take all complaints seriously and address them in a timely manner.

We appreciate all client feedback, whether that is from an employer, employee, apprentice, or a client, and we will take all feedback seriously and take any appropriate actions.

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Ensure there is a clear policy and procedure for complaints.

• Maintain positive relationships with apprentices, clients, employees, and employers through a clear and concise feedback system.

• Ensure that clients and employers are aware of our policies and procedures surrounding complaints.

• Ensure that all actions related to complaints are followed through to the satisfaction of the complaining party.

• Ensure that there is a robust system for complaining parties to escalate a complaint if they feel it has not been dealt with effectively.

• Ensure that adequate records are kept relating to complaints and the ‘lessons learnt’ system is effective.

Aim

This policy applies to all staff members, including individuals employed either full or part time, on a temporary basis, volunteers, and apprentices. All managers and senior staff are expected to ensure that all employees are aware of this policy and understand its scope.

Managers should also make it clear that all employees, teammates, senior management, and directors have a responsibility to each other. The policy also aims to include information on the proper procedure for dealing with a complaint.

Responsibilities

Director / Training and Operations Manager / Trainers / Support Team

The Director, Training and Operations Manager, and Trainers have a direct responsibility for ensuring complaints are dealt with in a timely and efficient manner to the extent that the complaining party feels the complaint has been dealt with satisfactorily.

The Director and Trainers should (duties listed are non-exhaustive):

• Review (at least annually), adhere to, and monitor the policy for the correct reporting of complaints.

• Ensure adequate records of complaints are maintained.

• Report any complaints directly to appropriate parties (detailed later in the document).

• Ensure that any conversations with complaining parties are recorded effectively; if necessary, a written complaint should be sought.

• Ensure that good feedback between the complaining parties and Abbotswood Academy continues.

• If dealing with the complaint directly, compile a list of appropriate actions to be carried out in a timely manner.

• If appropriate, conduct a full investigation, speaking to all parties involved.

• Make updates to policies and procedures where appropriate.

• List ‘lessons learnt’ from the complaint to inform better practice.

• Compose a response letter detailing all completed actions.

How to make a complaint

A complaint can be made:

• In person

• Via telephone (01794 523686)

• Via email (enquiries@abbotswoodacademy.com)

• Via post (Abbotswood Academy, Cupernham Lane, Romsey, SO51 7FL)

A complaint should be made to a member of the Academy team.

If the complaint involves a Trainer, please contact the Director, Lou Simmons (lou@abbotswoodacademy.com).

For ease of use, a template complaint form is included in this procedure as Appendix 1. If you require help in completing the form, please contact the Academy Office Team.

How we will manage complaints:

• All complaints are managed confidentially.

• We will handle all complaints fairly and honestly regardless of who is making the complaint.

• All complaints will be responded to promptly.

• All complainants will be kept informed of the progress of their complaint and of any delays.

In accordance with equality law, we will consider making reasonable adjustments if required to enable complainants to access and complete this complaints procedure. For instance, providing information in alternative formats or assisting complainants in raising a formal complaint.

Complaints may take several forms:

• A full written formal complaint

• A verbal formal complaint

• A verbal informal complaint

In the vast majority of cases, complaints can be dealt with informally and internally, with the Operations and Training Manager overseeing the proceedings. Verbal complaints and informal complaints should be passed over to the Director.

It is important that the person managing the response to the complaint can adequately judge the severity of the complaint and respond appropriately. If this is not possible, then the complaint should be passed to the Director for review.

Anonymous complaints

We will not normally investigate anonymous complaints. However, the Academy Director will make an executive decision as to whether the complaint warrants an investigation.

Resolving complaints

At each stage in the procedure, Abbotswood Academy wants to resolve the complaint. If appropriate, we will acknowledge that the complaint is upheld in whole or in part.

In addition, we may offer one or more of the following:

• An explanation

• An admission that the situation could have been handled differently or better

• An assurance that we will try to ensure the event complained of will not recur

• An explanation of the steps that have been or will be taken to help ensure that it will not happen again, and an indication of the timescales within which any changes will be made

• An undertaking to review nursery policies in light of the complaint

• An apology

Complaints log:

Adequate records of all complaints are kept in a file, whether digitally or in hard copy, by the Training and Operations Manager. All documentation is saved and recorded. This includes:

• The complaint itself, in written form. This should either take the form of a formal verbal complaint written up by the person who took the complaint, or a formal written complaint submitted by the complaining party. Informal complaints do not need to be kept on file or written up unless the complaining party wishes to escalate the complaint to the formal stage.

• Any agreed actions

• Evidence that the actions have been carried out (for example, full investigations, updated policies, lessons learnt incorporated into practice, outcomes from disciplinary procedures)

• Interim response letters (in cases where a complaint cannot be resolved sufficiently in a timely manner due to staff absences, etc.)

• Final response letter including details of actions undertaken