The Sixth Form Bolton Compliments and Complaints Procedure

A complaint is an expression of concern or dissatisfaction with the services provided or actions taken by the college that affect the quality of a student’s learning opportunities.

A: Informal approach to resolving complaints

1. The Student / Parent is required to talk through the issue with the appropriate member of staff to find an informal way to resolve the problem, within 10 working days of the action or loss of service that has adversely affected the quality of the student’s learning opportunity.

2. Appropriate members of staff:

   • Progress Tutor

   • Head of Department

   • Subject Teacher

They can be contacted through the Student Information Centre or Reception.

B: Formal approach

1. If the informal approach does not resolve the matter, the student/parent may make a formal complaint, which should be in writing and addressed to the Vice Principal. Assistance regarding how to make a complaint can be found through Reception or the Student Information Centre.

2. A formal complaint must be made within 15 working days of the action or loss of service that the student / parent feels has adversely affected the quality of the student’s learning opportunity.

3. The Vice Principal will assign an investigating manager typically:

   • Senior Leader

   • Head of Department

   • Alternative manager

On receipt of a formal, written complaint:

Within 2 working days: The Vice Principal will acknowledge receipt of the formal complaint to the complainant (and forward a copy to the assigned investigating manager).

Within 10 working days: The investigator will conclude the investigation and send the College’s detailed response to the complainant.   If it is not possible to conclude within 10 days the investigator will send the complainant an indication of how the complaint is being addressed and when they will receive a detailed response.

Copies of all correspondence relating to the complaint should be forwarded to the Senior Learner Administrator to inform the central complaints record.

C: Appeals

1. If the College’s response does not resolve the matter an appeal may be addressed to the Principal within 5 working days of receipt of the response to the complaint.

2. Any further appeal should be addressed to the Clerk to the Governors.

3. Further Education Students have the right to take a complaint to the Education Skills Funding Agency.

Complaints Relating to Governance

Any complaints relating to the Governance of the College should be addressed to the Clerk to the Governors who will acknowledge receipt of the complaint to the complainant. Within 10 working days: The Clerk to the Corporation will conclude the investigation and send the College’s detailed response to the complainant.  

If it is not possible to conclude within 10 days, the Clerk will send the complainant an indication of how the complaint is being addressed and when they will receive a detailed response.

Appeals can be made in accordance with Section C above and must be addressed to the Clerk to the Corporation in the first instance.

Complaints Relating to Other College Activities

Complaints must be made in writing within 15 working days of the action that has taken place which the complainant feels has adversely affected them.

Complaints must be addressed to the Deputy Principal who will acknowledge receipt of the formal complaint to the complainant within 2 working days (and forward a copy to the assigned investigating manager).

Within 10 working days: The investigator will conclude the investigation and send the College’s detailed response to the complainant.   If it is not possible to conclude within 10 days the investigator will send the complainant an indication of how the complaint is being addressed and when they will receive a detailed response.

Appeals can be made in accordance with Section C above.