This article is based on advice from Forbes Solicitors and the DfE's best practice guidance for school complaints procedures for maintained schools.
Always check your school's policies before taking any action. It's really important that you have up-to-date, compliant policies and that you refer to them when you need to. They may not be set out exactly as we've outlined in this article, but they should clarify what issues they deal with and how they link with other policies.
If you need a quick answer
If a situation has arisen at your school and you need an immediate answer, don't panic:
- Download our overview table to help you work out what policy you're likely to need
- Once you've identified the policy needed, read the relevant section below – use the examples and look for any crossover with other policies
Deal with something under your disciplinary/staff