Gosforth Group
Complaints and Resolutions
Our approach
At Gosforth Group, we believe that openness, trust and two-way communication are essential to building strong relationships and continuously improving what we do. We want every parent and carer to feel listened to, respected and supported.
We understand that concerns can arise, and we are committed to listening carefully, treating people with fairness and respect, and working together to find positive resolutions wherever possible.
This approach is grounded in our Trust values, which underpin how we listen, respond and resolve concerns.
Before you submit a formal complaint, please take a moment to read the important information below. This will help ensure the process is as smooth and successful as possible...
Our values in action
Our complaints and resolutions process reflects our core values of accountability, openness, integrity, leadership, honesty and selflessness.
This means that we will:
- Be open, transparent and fair
- Treat all individuals with dignity and respect
- Listen carefully and without judgement
- Follow a clear, consistent and timely process
- Use feedback to support learning and continuous improvement across the Trust
We are committed to learning from concerns raised, using feedback to strengthen our practice and maintain trust.
In line with this approach, we aim to resolve concerns as early and constructively as possible.
Before making a formal complaint
We encourage open and honest dialogue and aim to resolve concerns early, wherever appropriate, through informal discussion.
Before submitting a formal complaint, we kindly ask you to consider: Have you already given us the opportunity to listen to your concern and work with you to find a resolution?
In many cases, concerns can be addressed quickly and effectively through discussion with the relevant academy or corporate team. You can raise a concern with an academy team member via the school's main office email address, which can be found on the 'contact us' page of the school website.
We recognise, however, that there may be occasions where it is not appropriate to raise a concern informally, for example, where the concern relates to senior leadership. In these cases, moving directly to a formal complaint may be appropriate, although this would typically be by exception.
If you feel your concern has not been resolved informally, or the nature of the issue means it requires a formal review, we are here to support you through our complaints process.
If your concern progresses, it may be reviewed by different members of staff depending on the stage and nature of the complaint.
What might a concern look like and how do I raise a concern?
A concern is a query, worry, or issue that you would like the school to be aware of, but which can usually be resolved quickly and informally through discussion.
What might a concern look like?
- Questions about your child’s progress, homework, or classroom experience
- Minor issues with communication
- Queries about routines, expectations, or day-to-day school organisation
- Early worries about friendships, behaviour, or wellbeing
- Problems resulting from a misunderstanding
- Requests for clarification about school processes or decisions
- Notifying the school of something affecting learning or behaviour
At the informal stage, concerns can usually be resolved by speaking with the most appropriate member of staff, such as your child’s form tutor, subject teacher, subject lead, or Head of Year.
You can contact the relevant staff member or email the school office with your request via the address shown on the 'contact us' page of the school website.
Senior leaders, such as the Head of School or Principal, are not typically involved at this stage. This helps ensure they remain impartial if the concern later needs to be reviewed as part of the formal complaints process.
Our complaints process
A parent and carer guide to school complaints
Navigating a complaints process can feel unfamiliar. To support you, we recommend reading Parent Guide to School Complaints, developed by Parentkind in partnership with the Department for Education and Ofsted.
The guide provides clear, practical advice on how school complaints processes work, what to expect at each stage, and how to raise concerns effectively.
What is a complaint?
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about any aspect of a school's or the Trust's actions, services or decisions, where attempts at informal resolution have not been successful, and the individual wishes the matter to be formally reviewed or resolved.
What might a complaint look like?
- Incorrect, inconsistent, or unclear information provided by the school or Trust.
- Poor or delayed communication, including unanswered calls or emails.
- Consequential administrative errors, such as incorrect records or issuing documentation.
- Concerns about staff behaviour or professionalism.
- The school or Trust not following published policies or procedures.
- Undue delay or lack of response when matters are escalated.
- The school or Trust not following published policies or procedures.
- Undue delay or lack of response when matters are escalated.
- Issues with teaching, classroom organisation, or disrupted learning.
- SEN support is not being implemented, monitored or reviewed as agreed.
- Lack of effective action following reports of bullying.
- Health and safety concerns not being addressed.
- Unequal access to activities, opportunities or resources.
Do you have a complaints policy?
Yes, our Complaints and Resolution Policy explains how we handle concerns and what you can expect if you need to raise one. Taking a few minutes to read it will help you understand the process and how we aim to resolve issues fairly and consistently.
We recommend familiarising yourself with the policy before submitting a formal complaint, so you know what to expect at each stage.
The policy sets out:
- How concerns can be raised and resolved informally
- The formal stages of the process
- Roles and responsibilities
- Expected response times
- How complaints are reviewed and escalated
- What is and is not covered by the policy
View the Gosforth Group Complaints and Resolution Policy here.
What will happen if I submit a complaint?
When a formal complaint is submitted, the following steps will be followed:
1. Acknowledgement
Your complaint will be acknowledged and logged in line with the Trust’s complaints policy. You will be advised of the next steps.
2. Review and investigation
Your complaint will be reviewed by the appropriate person or panel, depending on the stage and nature of the concern. This may involve gathering information, reviewing records, and speaking with those involved.
3. Response
You will receive a written response setting out the findings, any conclusions reached, and, where appropriate, any actions to be taken.
4. Next steps (if required)
If you remain dissatisfied, you will be provided with information about how to progress to the next stage of the process.
Clear timescales are in place for each stage to ensure that complaints are managed fairly, consistently, and without unnecessary delay.
Further detail on each stage of the process is outlined in our full Complaints Policy.
Who will handle my complaint?
Depending on the stage and nature of your complaint, it will be reviewed by an appropriate member of staff. This may include a senior leader at academy level, a Trust-appointed investigating officer, or an independent panel at the final stage.
All complaints are handled by individuals who are appropriately placed to review the matter fairly, and who have had no prior involvement where independence is required.
At the informal stage, concerns can usually be resolved by speaking with the most appropriate member of staff, such as your child’s form tutor, subject teacher, subject lead, or Head of Year.
Senior leaders, such as the Head of School or Principal, are not typically involved at this stage. This helps ensure they remain impartial if the concern later needs to be reviewed as part of the formal complaints process.
At Stage 1 of the formal complaints process, the complaint will normally be reviewed by the Head of School or Principal.
The Trust Complaints and Resolution Officer oversees the formal complaints process and ensures that each complaint is reviewed by the most appropriate person, in line with the nature and stage of the concern.
Once a complaint is received, the steps below outline how it will be reviewed.
Will submitting a complaint affect my relationship with the school?
We recognise that raising a complaint can feel difficult, and we want to reassure you that:
- Complaints are handled sensitively and confidentially
- You will not be treated unfairly as a result of raising a concern
- Our focus is on understanding issues, resolving them, and improving our practice, where necessary
If you are unsure whether your concern should be raised formally, we encourage you to contact us for guidance before submitting a complaint. You can email our Complaints and Resolution Team at: complaints@gosforthgroup.org.uk
How do I submit a formal complaint?
You can submit a formal complaint using the Complaints and Resolution Form.
The form is designed to help you provide the key information we need to understand your complaint clearly. You do not need to include everything, just the main points. If we need any further information, a member of the team will contact you.
The key information we need includes:
- The stage at which you are raising your complaint
- The nature of your complaint
- Any steps already taken to resolve it
- Key dates and individuals involved
- The outcome you are seeking
Providing this information helps us review your complaint fairly, thoroughly, and without unnecessary delay.
Keeping complaints clear and accurate
With online tools like AI becoming more widely used, we encourage parents and carers to share complaints in their own words so we can understand the situation clearly. While these tools can be helpful for everyday tasks, we kindly ask that they aren’t used to write or submit complaints, as hearing directly from you helps us support your child in the best way.
If you would like support in setting out your concern, please contact our Complaints and Resolution Officer at complaints@gosforthgroup.org.uk. We are always happy to help ensure your complaint is clear, accurate and handled fairly.
Complaints and Resolution Form
Submit your complaint by completing our Complaint and Resolution form below.
The form is designed to help you provide the key information we need to understand your complaint clearly. You do not need to include everything, just the main points. If we need any further information, a member of the team will contact you.