COMPLAINTSPROCEDURE
Itisthecompany’spolicytoresolveasquicklyandfairlyaspossibleanycomplaint thatismadebyourlearner.
Scope:
TheLearnersComplaintsProcedureappliestocomplaints:
● FromLearnersabouttheireducationalexperience;
● AboutaserviceprovidedbytheSchool;
● ConcerningdiscriminationbyBSWonthegroundsofgender,race,faith,age, disabilityorsexualorientation;
● Aboutthebehaviourofamemberofstaff/selfemployedtowardsaLearner;
● AboutthebehaviourofaLearnerorLearner;
● FromaLearnerwhobelievesthatsheorhehassufferedaninjusticeasaresult ofactiontakenornottakenonbehalfoftheSchool.
Theabovelistisnotintendedtobeexhaustiveand,whereappropriate,complaints aboutothermatterswillbeconsideredundertheLearnersComplaintsProcedure.
Principles:
Theprinciples,whichunderpintheLearnersComplaintsProcedure,are:
● Learnerswillnotsufferdisadvantageasaconsequenceofmakingagenuine complaint;
● AtBSW,willseektoresolvecomplaintsasquicklyaspossiblewithinthe availableresourcesandtofindresolutionswhicharereasonableandacceptable toallparties;
● Learnerswillbeallowedreasonabletimetoseekguidanceandassistancein connectionwithanyaspectofthecomplaintsprocess;
● Allpartiesareexpectedtomakereasonableeffortstoresolvemattersonan informalbasisbeforemovingtotheformalstagesoftheprocess;
● Anyinvestigationsundertakenaspartoftheformalcomplaintsprocesswillbe conductedbyindividualswhoareindependent;
● Learnershavetherighttobeaccompaniedbyarelativeorfriend,whoisnot actinginalegalcapacity,atanymeetingarrangedtodiscussthecomplaint;
● Allpartiestoacomplaintwillbekeptinformedatallstagesoftheprogressof anyinvestigationsintothemattersraisedandwillbeinformedinwritingofthe outcomeoftheprocess,thereasonsforanydecisionstakenandanyproposed remedies;
● AtBSW,wewilldealwithcomplaintsonaconfidentialbasis,butLearners shouldrecognisethatitmaybenecessarytodisclosedetailsofacomplaintto otherpersonsororganisationsforthepurposesofinvestigatingthecomplaint andseekinganeffectiveresolution;
● WheremattersarewithintheSchool’scontrol,itwillensurethatappropriate remedialactionistakentoresolveacomplaintincludingaddressingaspectsof itsoperations,whichareidentifiedthroughthecomplaintsprocessasrequiring improvement.
Theabovelistisnotintendedtobeexhaustiveand,whereappropriate,complaints aboutothermatterswillbeconsideredundertheLearnerComplaintsProcedure.
Responsibilities
● Allpartiesinvolvedinacomplaintareexpectedtoactcourteously,fairlyand reasonablytowardseachotherandtocomplywiththerequirementsofthe proceduresbyadheringtoanydeadlines,respondingappropriatelytoany requestsforinformationorattendanceatmeetingsandundertakingany reasonableactionrequiredinpursuanceofasatisfactoryremedy.
● BSWwillinvestigateallcomplaintsbroughtundertheformalpartofthe procedure;however,itreservestherighttorefusetoconsideranylearner complaintswhicharethought,afterinitialinvestigation,tobeunreasonable, vexatiousormalicious.
Process:
Stage1:DiscussionandAdvice
● Itisveryimportanttogetearlyadviceaboutproblems.Often,thiscanresolve thematterquicklyandinformally.
● Normally,alearnerwouldseektheadviceofamemberoftheSchoolstaffsuch asanEducator,anAssessororamemberofthemanagementteam.
● Thelearnercanexpecttobegivenadviceonhowtoproceedandonan appropriatecourseofaction,adviceaboutwhatwouldconstituteanappropriate remedy,andanopportunitytoconsiderwhetherthereisindeedacomplaintto
beaddressed.Thelearnerwillthenbeinapositiontodecidewhetherto proceedfurther,andhow.
Stage2:InformalProcess
● Itisintheinterestofthestudentsthatacomplainttobedealtwithinformally shouldberaisedatthe'local'levelassoonaspossible.Iftherehasbeenadelay thestudentshouldexplainthereason.Thestudentshouldifpossiblerecordthe complaintinwriting.
● TheLearnersshouldifpossibleraisethecomplaintdirectlywiththeperson responsibleforthematter.Itmaynotalwaysbeeasytodothisifthecomplaint isabouttheconductofthisperson:ifforsomereasonthelearnerscannotgo directtothepersonaloneheorsheshouldaskforsomeoneelsetobepresentor shouldraisethematterwithanotherpersonintheorganisationconcerned.
● Ifpossible,asuitablesolutionwillbeagreedandimplemented,tosolvethe problem.
● Ifthelearnerisdissatisfiedwiththeoutcomeofsuchaninformalprocess,heor shemayconsiderwhethertoraisethematterformallythrough
Stage3:FormalProcess
● Learnersmustexhaustinformalroutesbeforemakingaformalcomplaintor giveagoodreasonfornot doingso.Agoodreasonmightbethattheproblemisparticularlyserious,orthat whenitwasraised informallytherewasrefusaltodealwithit.Informalprocessesaresuitablefordealing withmanyproblems,butifacomplaintincludesveryseriousallegations,and especiallywhereapersoncomplainedagainstmusthaveanopportunitytogivehisor hersideofthematter,itmaybenecessarytoreferstraightto.
Stage3
● Ifinformalroutesseemnottohavebeenexhaustedaformalcomplaintmaybe referredtoinformalresolution.
● Alearnerwishingtomakeaformalcomplaintmustdosoinwriting.The writtenstatementinitiatestheformalprocessandmustincludeadescriptionof whathashappenedtogiverisetothecomplaintincludingdates,times,and otherdetails.Itisnecessarytoshowthatsomethinghasgonewronginthe dischargeofaCentredutytowardsthelearner,andthatthelearnerhadsuffered asaresult.Thecomplaintshouldbe
addressedtotheSchool’sManagingDirectors.
● Within15workingdaystheCentreManagingDirectorswillreviewthe complaintandtheassociated evidence.
Furtherevidencemayberequestedatthisstage.Theoutcomeofthereviewwillfind either:
● Thattherearenogroundsfortakingthematterfurther.Ifthisisthecase,the Schoolwilladvisethelearneraccordinglyinwriting; Or
● Thattherearegroundsforconsiderationandfurtherinvestigation,where appropriate.Ifthisisthecase,anindependentLearnerComplaintsPanelwill beconvenedtohearthecomplaint.
● TheLearnersComplaintsPanelwillconsistoftheManagingDirectors,who willChairthehearing,Thelearnerwillbeinvitedtoattendthehearing.The proceedingsandoutcomeofthehearingwillbeminuted.
Thelearnerwillhavetherighttobeaccompaniedbyarepresentative.Theroleofthis personistosupportandadvisethelearners.Whereappropriatetherepresentativemay speakinsupportofthestudenthowever,itisexpectedthatthelearnerwillspeakfor him/herselfduringthehearing.
CompletionofProcedures:
Theoutcomeofthehearing,includingdetailsofanyremediesproposed,willbesent inwritingtoallpartieswithin10workingdaysofthehearing.
Remedies:
Remediesforcomplaintsinclude,butarenotlimitedto,anapology,alterationstoa processortoaserviceprovidedbytheSchooland,exceptionally,compensationfor lossordamagesuffered.TheSchoolseekstoensurethatanyremediesproposedare reasonableandappropriatetothenatureandcircumstancesoftheComplaint.
MDwillprovidedocumentationuponrequest