Local review boards proposed to oversee complaints about schools

By Joe Lepper Wednesday, 01 October 2008

Local independent review boards could be set up across England to improve the way parents' complaints about schools are handled.

Sam Murray

The boards will become the central body to deal with complaints that schools cannot resolve and will replace the current system, which the government says is confusing for parents.

In the consultation document, A New Way Of Handling Parents' Complaints About School Issues, launched last week, the government says action is needed as parents and schools can "find themselves deadlocked and unable to communicate, sometimes for months or even years".

It adds that the secretary of state's role is "severely limited" in its ability to deal with individual cases.

The new boards' remit would include ensuring there were no delays by the school or governors in handling a complaint and that policies and procedures were correctly followed. It would also have the power to investigate whether individual school policies relating to complaints are lawful.

The government stresses that the new boards would only be able to investigate how a complaint was dealt with.

Sam Murray, adviser at the Advisory Centre for Education, said: "At the moment the vast majority of complaints can be dealt with informally at the school and governors' level.

"But for the minority of complaints that can't be resolved in this way, access to an independent review panel is important in order that both parties feel that complaints are dealt with fairly and in a balanced manner."

Sanctions could include forcing a school to apologise or change its policies. The boards would also be able to refer teachers to the General Teaching Council for England.

Another option being considered by the government is for councils to set up independent local referral boards, which would have the power to force school governors to reconsider complaints.

The consultation closes on 21 November.