| Policy Title | Complaint policy | Date of Last Review | August 2024 |
| Policy Reference | FTEC 2 | Date of Next Review | July 2025 |
| Authorised by: | Board of Directors | August 2024 |
MISSION STATEMENT
Friendlytutors & Education Consultancy (FTEC) is committed to providing outstanding tutoring
services to all our user, students, parents, and tutors. FTEC welcomes compliments and
complaints from our learning community, from our stakeholders and from the general public.
We use this process positively to improve services for our students, parents, tutors, and the
wider community.
We recognise that, occasionally, mistakes will be made, or the service offered will not meet
an individual’s requirements or expectations. As well as being managed as set out in this
procedure, complaints will be used as feedback to improve the service which we offer
EQUALITIES STATEMENT
All who work at the Friendlytutors & Educational Consultancy (FTEC) Limited are committed
to the celebration of diversity, and the challenge of disadvantage and discrimination, in all its
forms.
These values are explicit to the ethos of the Friendlytutors & Educational Consultancy
(FTEC) Limited and embedded into all our policies and practices.
Designated Safeguarding Officer/Behaviour
Lead
J. Adat
Contact details
jadat@friendlytutors.co.uk.
Tel: 07985138926
Christabel Achunike (Mrs) (Director/PSC) – Tel: 07961732757-1
Gabrielle Adat (Mrs) (Attendance Lead) Tel: 07944844558
Gabrielle@friendlytutors.co.uk.
Registered address: 65 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ. Registered in England & Wales: Company no. 14595380.
Website: www.friendlytutors.co.uk; Email: contact@friendlytutors.co.uk.
1.0 Introduction
This policy sets out the procedure for anyone wishing to make a complaint about staff or
practice, including parents and carers who wish to make a complaint about the services
provided by Friendlytutors & Education Consultancy (FTEC) limited. This policy is
underpinned by the shared commitment of all members to treat every complaint with fairness,
honesty, and impartiality, to ensure that the students we tutor will continue to experience
outstanding teaching and learning.
- Principles
This procedure exists to provide parents/carers, students, other stakeholders and external
bodies or individuals with a formal structure to make a complaint about issues arising
because of our services. FTEC seeks to ensure all concerns and complaints are dealt with
efficiently, sensitively, and where possible in confidence, at the appropriate level. All
complaints are handled in a balanced, neutral way, and assuming nothing until all of the facts
are established - The difference between a concern and a complaint
It is important that staff understand how different forms of feedback are considered.
All complaints can initially start as a concern, which can be defined as ‘an expression of worry
or doubt over an issue considered to be important, for which reassurances are sought’. For
example, a parent might wish to be assured that his or her child is receiving appropriate
support with communication or might ask a member of staff to clarify a comment that the child
has made about something during tutoring session.
Concerns can materialise in a complaint if the initial response is perceived as unreasonable
or dismissive. A complaint is defined as ‘an expression of dissatisfaction, however made,
about actions (or lack of actions) taken’. A complaint includes an element of blame against the
agency or staff. - Exceptions to the complaints procedure
This Complaints Procedure covers all complaints about any provision of facilities or services.
In the event of complaints about non-tutoring service, please refer to the section, ‘Complaints
about Friendlytutors & Education limited’. If there is any doubt about whether an issue should
be dealt with as a complaint or through another formal procedure, guidance can be sought
from FTEC’s Directors.
The exceptions listed below are not covered because separate procedures exist.
In certain circumstances, for example where the Local Authority or another public body is
investigating the matters in a complaint, this process will be suspended until those
investigations are concluded.
Exceptions include:
- Allegations of child abuse/other child protection issues, other safeguarding issues
- Whistleblowing (for financial or other regulatory malpractice)
- Staff grievances/disciplinary procedures
Friendlytutors & Education will not investigate anonymous complaints under the procedure in
this Complaints Policy. Anonymous complaints will be referred to the Directors who will decide
what, if any, action should be taken.
If the issue concerns a serious safeguarding or child protection issue, an allegation of
Registered address: 65 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ. Registered in England & Wales: Company no. 14595380.
Website: www.friendlytutors.co.uk; Email: contact@friendlytutors.co.uk.
abuse or a matter with serious disciplinary consequences, the Friendlytutors’
management should be informed immediately. The appropriate policy and procedures
must be followed, and the Designated Safeguarding Lead must be informed.
- EQUALITY
Friendlytutors & Education limited will deal with concerns, difficulties, and complaints in
accordance with its duty under the Equality Act 2010 (please refer to the Equality and Diversity
Policy for further details). - DATA PROTECTION
Complaints sometimes include requests for information or documentation. Such requests will
either be a ‘subject access request’ under the Data Protection Act 1998 (where the information
requested relates to an identifiable individual) or a request under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 (where the information is general and not related to an identifiable individual).
Subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998 must be responded to within 40
calendar days, and requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 must be responded
to within 20 working days.
Please refer to the Data Protection Policy and Freedom of Information Policy for further details. - Indicative timetables
NB: At all stages, FTEC will seek an informal resolution to your complaint. In complex
cases, it might take longer to investigate a problem, meaning the timings of the
complaints process might be extended. You will be informed should this happen.
Managers and staff will try to resolve any complaint as quickly as possible, but all concerned
must recognise that teachers and support staff have many demands on their time. In complex
cases, it might take longer to investigate than is provided for below – the investigator will
communicate this to the parent or carer as soon as possible. A complaint will not be upheld
solely because a deadline has been missed.
In certain circumstances, for example where the Local Authority or another public body is
investigating the matters in a complaint, this process will be suspended until those
investigations are concluded.
7.1 Timeline for raising a complaint
Please note that when we refer to working days, we mean Monday to Friday.
8.1 Stage 1: Informal complaint
- You should raise an informal complaint within 10 working days of the incident in question
- The complaint will be acknowledged within 7 working days of receipt
- The complaint will be investigated and responded to within 21 working days of receipt of
the informal complaint
8.2 Stage 2: Formal complaint - If you are not satisfied with the response, you should escalate to a formal complaint
(following the process described in this document) within 5 working days of receiving the
response to Stage 1 - The formal complaint will be acknowledged within 7 working days of receipt
- The formal complaint will be investigated and responded to within 21 working days of
receipt
8.3 Stage 3: Panel
Registered address: 65 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ. Registered in England & Wales: Company no. 14595380.
Website: www.friendlytutors.co.uk; Email: contact@friendlytutors.co.uk. - If you remain unsatisfied, you may request referral to a Complaint panel stage (following
the process described in this document) within 10 working days of receiving the response
to Stage 2 - A panel will be arranged within 20 working days of receiving your request
- A final response will be given within 5 working days of the date of the panel meeting
- COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
9.1 Made about staff
Stage 1: Informal complaints
In the first instance, it is essential each complaint is directed at a level appropriate to the nature
of the complaint. Therefore, if for example a staff cannot resolve an informal complaint, it
should be passed to the Senior manager in charge of complaint.
FTEC recognises that most concerns and complaints can be resolved at an initial informal
stage. In this instance the complainant can speak to a senior manager.
At this stage, the senior manager or staff member must seek clarification on the complaint,
identifying the outcome the complainant is requesting. Even though this is likely to be a spoken
exchange, it is important that all parties are in agreement on outcomes and agreed actions.
The final resolution to the complainant can be provided orally or through a written response,
however a written record of the response will always be kept by the Friendlytutors & Education
Limited.
Stage 2: Formal complaints
Formal complaints not about the HR manager
If all attempts to resolve the issue remain unsuccessful, the complainant may then follow the
formal process by placing their complaint in writing to the senior manager responsible for the
complaint.
9.2 This written document should include:
The complaint
- Any attempts made to raise/resolve the complaint (including who they have communicated
with) - Any reasonable actions they feel may resolve the issue
The complaint will be investigated by a staff member (not the subject of the complaint)
nominated by the board of directors. The complaint will be acknowledged within 7 working
days. The formal complaint will be investigated and responded to within 21 working days. This
timescale may be reasonably extended if the nature of the complaint is judged by the HR
manager to be of a complex nature. Where there are exceptional circumstances resulting in a
delay, the complainant will be notified of this and informed of the new timescales as soon as
possible.
An accurate log must be maintained at this stage.
The resulting investigatory report will be presented to the Director for final determination. The
HR manager will then respond in writing to the complainant.
- Formal complaints made about a manager.
Registered address: 65 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ. Registered in England & Wales: Company no. 14595380.
Website: www.friendlytutors.co.uk; Email: contact@friendlytutors.co.uk.
Friendlytutors & Education limited recognises that in exceptional circumstances
parents/carers, other stakeholders or external bodies or individuals may wish to complain
formally about a HR manager.
If all attempts to resolve the issue remain unsuccessful, the complainant may then follow the
formal process by placing their complaint in writing to the Directors.
This written document should include:
- The complaint
- Any attempts made to raise/resolve the complaint (including who they have communicated
with) - Any reasonable actions they feel may resolve the issue
The complaint will be investigated by a senior member of Friendlytutors & Education limited
staff nominated by the Director. The complaint will be acknowledged within 7 working days.
The formal complaint will be investigated and responded to within 21 working days. This
timescale may be reasonably extended if the nature of the complaint is judged by the Director
to be of a complex nature. Where there are exceptional circumstances resulting in a delay,
the complainant will be notified of this and informed of the new timescales as soon as possible.
An accurate log must be maintained at this stage.
The resulting investigatory report will be presented to the Director for final determination. The
Director will then respond in writing to the complainant.
- Stage 3: Final panel stage
The last stage of the Friendlytutors & Education limited complaints process is a referral to a
Complaint panel. The complainant must request this within 10 working days of receiving the
response to Stage 2 of the process. The FTEC HR manager will convene a panel at the earliest
appropriate opportunity, but within 20 days. The request will only be considered if the
procedures at Stages 1 and 2 have been completed.
The written request should include:
- a copy of all relevant documents and full contact details.
- details of all the grounds of the complaint and the outcome desired.
- a list of the documents which the complainant believes to be in the agency’s possession
and wishes the panel to see; and - whether the complainant proposes to be accompanied to the hearing by someone who is
legally qualified.
If assistance with the request is required, for example because of a disability, please inform
the HR manager of this so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
The HR manager will acknowledge the request for a hearing in writing within 7 working days
of receipt during term time and as soon as practicable during the holidays.
A panel will comprise of Friendly tutors’ staff and external members.
The HR manager will convene a complaints panel as follows: - The panel will consist of at least three members.
- No member of the panel can have been directly involved in previous considerations of the
complaint. - Copies of any additional documents you wish the panel to consider should be sent to the
Director to be received at least 10 working days prior to the hearing.
You may be accompanied to the hearing by another person, for example a relative, tutor or
friend. The panel hearing is not legal proceedings, and so legal representation is not usually
Registered address: 65 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ. Registered in England & Wales: Company no. 14595380.
Website: www.friendlytutors.co.uk; Email: contact@friendlytutors.co.uk.
necessary. If you do wish to be accompanied by someone who is legally qualified, you should
have notified the Directors of this in your initial request for a panel hearing. If you did not do
so and you wish to be accompanied by a legally qualified person, you must inform the Director
of this at least 5 working days prior to the hearing.
The Directors will circulate a copy of the bundle of documents to be considered by the panel
to all parties at least 3 working days prior to the hearing.
- Proceedings of the panel
All parties will attend the meeting in the same room. The meeting will include:
- the complainant
- the panel
- the respondent (usually the Director)
Any other staff/witnesses who will be invited to make representations concerning the
complaint. The appeal will be closed to the public.
Parties may be questioned by the panel members so that they can form a clear and unbiased
view of the complaint. Whilst it will be for the Chair of the panel to decide exactly how the
meeting will proceed, the procedure at the meeting will allow: - the complainant to explain their complaint
- the respondent to explain the school’s response
- the panel to have an opportunity to question both the complainant and the other party
- all involved to call witnesses (subject to the approval of the Chair of the panel), and the
panel to question all the witnesses - the complainant, the respondent, and staff/witnesses to be accompanied at the meeting if
they wish (other than by a legal representative).
The Chair of the panel will explain to the complainant and the respondent that the panel will
consider its decision based on the information and evidence presented to them, and a written
response will be sent to both parties as quickly as possible and in an expeditious manner.
The panel will remember that some parent/carers are unused to dealing with groups of people
in formal situations and may feel inhibited. Parents/carers may also feel emotional about
discussing an issue that affects their child. The Chair of the panel will ensure that the
proceedings are as informal as the situation allows.
- Remit of the panel
The panel can:
- Dismiss the complaint in whole or in part
- Uphold the complaint in whole or in part
- Decide on the appropriate action to be taken to resolve the complaint
- Recommend changes to FTEC systems or procedures to ensure that problems of a similar
nature do not recur.
- The decision
The panel will reach a decision on a balance of probabilities unless there is an agreed position.
The decision, findings and any recommendations will be confirmed in writing to you by email,
normally within 7 working days of the hearing. If you do not wish to receive the decision by
email, please inform the Director of this and a copy will be given or posted to you.
A copy of the decision, findings and any recommendations will also be made available to the
subject of the complaint, where relevant.
Registered address: 65 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ. Registered in England & Wales: Company no. 14595380.
Website: www.friendlytutors.co.uk; Email: contact@friendlytutors.co.uk.
The decisions, findings and any recommendations will also be available for inspection on the
company’s website and other platforms.
This represents the conclusion of Friendlytutors & Education complaints procedure. - Complaints about the Friendlytutors & Education Consultancy Limited
Complaints about operational aspects of the agency and/or non-tutoring based FTEC staff will
be managed using the same three step process above. Complaints of this type should be
addressed to the HR Manager, unless the complaint is about the HR manager in which case
complaints should be addressed to the Directors. Complaints about FTEC can also be
addressed to the local authority in question. - VEXATIOUS, PERSISTENT OR UNREASONABLE COMPLAINTS
FTEC is committed to dealing with all complaints fairly and impartially. Whilst contact between
FTEC and the complainant will not be limited, we do not expect our tutors and operational staff
to tolerate unacceptable behaviour deemed
abusive, threatening, or offensive.
In the case of vexatious or persistent complaints, if the complainant remains dissatisfied after
all stages have been properly followed, the Directors will inform the complainant in writing that
the procedure has been exhausted, and the matter is now closed.
Should an individual’s approach to their complaint become disturbing, intimidating, or
harassing, legal advice may be sought. FTEC has a duty of care to its employees, and this
will be upheld. - REPORTING AND RECORDING COMPLAINTS
The FTEC Complaint Form should be used for all formal complaints. FTEC is mindful of its
obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and will endeavour to facilitate alternative methods of
communication where these are necessitated by disability or other unavoidable circumstance.
Once a complaint is received, FTEC will record all issues, with the HR Manager holding
responsibility for ensuring that complaints are consistently and accurately recorded including
resolution and any further actions taken as a result of the complaint.
Registered address: 65 The Broadway, London E15 4BQ. Registered in England & Wales: Company no. 14595380.
Website: www.friendlytutors.co.uk; Email: contact@friendlytutors.co.uk.
Appendix 1
Complaint Form
Name
Date
Address
Name of student (if applicable)
Relationship to student
(if applicable)
Student’s address
(if different from above)
Contact number(s)
(if you have a preferred time within the
school day, please state it)
Email
Details of complaint
What action have you already taken to try and resolve the complaint?
What actions do you feel might resolve this complaint?
(e.g. an explanation, an apology, etc.)