Making a Complaint
Informal complaints
Raising an informal complaint
An informal complaint includes matters relating to, but not limited to uniform, homework, assessments, social dynamics, interactions and misunderstandings.
Complainants are encouraged to raise an informal complaint directly with the person involved. The complainant may raise an informal complaint in person, by phone, by making a note in the School diary or by email.
In the event this is not appropriate the complainant may make their own judgement regarding the appropriate member of staff to whom their complaint should be addressed using the table below as a guide:
| Informal Concerns |
Staff Member Responsible |
| Junior School |
Classroom teacher, Specialist teacher, Year Coordinator, Counsellor, Deputy Head of Junior School or Head of Junior School
|
| Senior School |
Tutor, Teachers, Year Coordinator, Dean, Director of Wellbeing and Counselling, Head of Senior School
|
| Boarding |
Boarding Coordinator, Head of Boarding
|
| AbbSchool |
Director of AbbSchool
|
| Sport |
JS – PDHPE Coordinator
SS – Head of Sport
|
| WHS |
Risk and Compliance Manager, Director of Compliance, Director of Property
|
| Financial Matters |
Bursar
|
Formal complaints
Raising a formal complaint
A formal complaint would include matters relating to, but not limited to a lack of resolution from an informal complaint, child protection, staff misconduct, bullying and harassment matters. Formal complaints should be made in writing to the following people.
*Definitions
Risk of significant harm – current concerns exist for the safety, welfare or wellbeing of a student because the student’s basic needs are not being met, the student is at risk of being physically or sexually abused, or the student is otherwise at risk of suffering serious psychological harm.
Reportable conduct – where reasonable grounds exist to suspect an Abbotsleigh employee has committed a sexual offence or engaged in sexual misconduct with or in the presence of a child, engaged in behaviour which amounts to assault, ill-treatment or neglect of a child or engages in behaviour which otherwise causes psychological harm to a child. Reportable conduct does not include conduct that is reasonable for the purposes of discipline, management or care of a child.
To view the school’s full policy on complaints and disputes, please click here.