Raising A Concern

We believe that our school provides a good education for all our children and that the Head of School and other members of staff work extremely hard to build positive relationships will all our families.

As a Church of England School, Christian values are at the heart of all we do. We value our relationship with parents and all members of the school and local community. If you do have a concern we encourage you to come forward quickly as we want to know about it so that it can be dealt with immediately. Most issues can be dealt with easily and quickly, but to ensure all concerns are handled effectively the Governing Body has adopted a complaints policy and procedure. The school’s Complaints Procedure is devised with the intention that it will:

• usually be possible to resolve problems by informal means
• be simple to use and understand
• treat complaints confidentially
• allow problems to be handled swiftly
• inform future practice so that a problem is unlikely to recur
• ensure that the school’s attitude to a pupil will never be affected by a parental complaint
• discourage anonymous complaints
• actively encourage strong home-school links
• ensure that any person complained against has equal rights with the person making the complaint
• reaffirm the partnership between parents, staff and governors as we work together for the good of the pupils in the school
• be regularly reviewed

Who can make a complaint?

This complaints procedure is not limited to parents or carers of children that are registered at the school. Any person, including members of the public, may make a complaint to about any facilities or services that we provide. Unless complaints are dealt with under separate statutory procedures (such as appeals relating to exclusions or admissions), we will use this complaints procedure.

The difference between a concern and a complaint

A concern can be defined as ‘an expression of worry or doubt for which reassurances are sought’. A complaint may be defined as ‘an expression of dissatisfaction however made, about actions taken or a lack of action’. It is in everyone’s interest that concerns and complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage.  Many issues can be resolved informally, without the need to use the formal stages of the complaints procedure.

If you have a concern, we would like you to tell us about it so that we may be aware of the issue and to allow us to take swift action.  Be assured that no matter what you wish to share with us, our support and respect for you and any pupil will not be affected.  The majority of concerns can be resolved informally bu speaking to a member of staff confidentially.  If you have a concern, please raise it without delay as it is diffcult for us to investigate properly an incident or problem that is more thana  day or two old.  Please contact your child's class teacher or other appropriate member of staff and arrange a time when you can discuss your concern.  It may be possible for you to see the member of staff straight away , but it is usually better to make an appointment so that you have time to talk through.  We will make every effort to resolve your concern informally.  It may be possible to give a response immediately but where any investigation or information is required, a response will be given within five days.

If we have not been able to relove your concern and you would like to make a complaint, you will be asked to read and follow the school's Complaints policy.  You can find the full details here or you can request a hard copy from the School Office.   

How to raise a complaint

A complaint can be made in person, in writing, via email or by telephone. It may also be made by a third party acting on behalf on a complainant, as long as they have appropriate consent to do so.

• Complaints against school staff (except the Head of School) should be made in the first instance, to Mrs Moore via the school office. Please mark them as Private and Confidential.
• Complaints that involve or are about the Head of School should be addressed to Mrs Gallagher via the school office.  Please mark them as Private and Confidential.
• Complaints that are about the Executive Head Teacher should be addressed to the Chair of Governors, via the school office. Please mark them as Private and Confidential.
• Complaints about the Chair of Governors, any individual governor or the whole governing body should be addressed to the Clerk to the Governing Body via the school office. Please mark them as Private and Confidential.

Contacting Us At St James Primary School

• Our main email address at the School Office is office@stjamesprimaryschool.co.uk
• Our phone number is 0208 883 6540 if you’d prefer to call
• Any of the Governors can be reached at governors@stjamesprimaryschool.co.uk
• Our address is Woodside Avenue, London N10 3JA if you would prefer to write