Concerned about a school
What to do if you have a concern about a school
The local authority works closely with schools offering support, advice, training and guidance to staff and governors. Each schools governing body has overall responsibility for the school and the head teacher is responsible for the day to day management.
Quite often we're contacted in relation to concerns/complaints about schools and other education settings within the borough. Luton Council has no jurisdiction over schools or education settings in this regard.
Each school and education setting college will publish their own complaint procedure and you should contact the relevant organisation directly. If you have a concern about your child's school you should speak first to the teacher or in the case of a secondary school, form tutor or head of year.
Most concerns can be easily resolved by informal discussion. Remember the more information you have the better able you will be to discuss the matter; fact find by asking the school for information.
Obtain copies of relevant policies from the school, eg policy against bullying and harassment, behaviour and discipline policy, special educational needs policy etc. However, if these discussions do not resolve the concern, then there is a formal procedure to be followed.
All schools are legally required to have their own complaints procedures and or policy which explains the process and for this to be made available on their website. The school will be glad to give you a copy if you ask for one.
There are separate statutory procedures for complaints about SEN and disability assessments, school placements, school admission decisions, pupil exclusion decisions and complaints about the national curriculum, religious education or other related matters. Parents may have a legal right of appeal to an independent tribunal or panel.