To ensure that complaints lodged at Swan View Primary School are resolved in a prompt and efficient manner.
To promote the highest standard of professionalism in dealing with our community.
Staff at Swan View Primary School are responsible for managing the resolution of disputes and complaints lodged with us.
We will make every effort to promptly resolve disputes and complaints lodged with us according to the principles of procedural fairness.
Where we cannot resolve a complaint, the complainant, Principal or Regional Executive Director can forward a written complaint to the Director General of the Department of Education.
NB: The Department of Education Disputes and Complaints Policy and Procedures details the Departmental procedures to be followed in the management of complaints. This document details the procedures to be followed for local management of complaints at this school.
As outlined in Australian Standard AS 4269-1995 our Complaints Handling Policy demonstrates:
We are genuinely interested in having complaints resolved at the school level.
We recognise a community member’s right to complain and to have their complaint dealt with seriously and fairly.
We actively seek comments about our performance from our parent community.
We understand the need to be fair in our complaints handling processes.
We follow procedural fairness principles when responding to a complaint.
Decisions made, and the reason for them will be made available to all parties directly involved in a complaint.
We use school resources to effectively manage complaints.
We have adequate resources for effective handling of complaints.
Relevant staff at this school receive training in the management of complaints.
Complainants will have easy access to the person at our school that will be dealing with the complaint.
Brochures explaining our complaints handling processes are available from the school office.
Complaints handling processes are explained regularly in our school newsletter.
We accept complaints lodged by telephone, face to face, in writing and via email.
We facilitate people with special needs to access our complaints handling system.
Our complaints handling processes recognise cultural diversity and take into account the particular needs of our parent community.
Upon request, we will provide a complainant with the support needed to formulate and lodge a complaint.
Staff are available to help complainants formulate and lodge a complaint.
Complaints will be dealt with quickly and efficiently.
We will maintain regular contact with complainants to keep them informed of the progress of their complaint.
There will be no charge to the complainant for the raising of a complaint with us.
NB: Where relevant, statutory charges, for example, Freedom of Information requests, still apply.
Our complaints handling system has the capacity to determine and put in place remedies.
Where a complaint results in the identification of changes that should be made to our processes, those changes will be made.
Data about complaints lodged with our school is collected and stored on our school admin system.
Complaints are regularly analysed for the identification and addressing of systemic and recurring problems.
We analyse our Complaints Register to identify areas where changes are required to address systemic and recurring problems.
We report our complaints handling processes against our documented performance standards.
We report on our complaints handling processes as a part of our school review and evaluation procedure.
Complaints lodged and their outcomes are reported to the District Director as part of the school review process.
We review our complaints handling process annually.
Complaint:
The expression of dissatisfaction with any aspect of government education and training. It may be general in nature or relate to particular staff, a part of the organisation, a policy or a decision. Any person may lodge a complaint, however staff employed by the Department of Education cannot use this process if they are acting in an official capacity. A complaint must contain sufficient detail to enable it to be addressed and recorded.
Locally Managed Complaint:
A verbal or written complaint made in relation to a school, or staff member and managed by the school.
Centrally Managed Complaint:
A complaint lodged in writing with the Director General of the Education Department, and managed at Central Office.
Complainant:
A person or persons who lodge a complaint.
Complaints are to be received and recorded as outlined in this policy.
All complaints are treated equally regardless of the manner in which they are lodged. Where necessary the complainant is to be given help in the framing, writing and lodgement of a complaint.
In all cases complainants are to be treated with courtesy and the contact is to be conducted and ended in a positive way.
Verbal Complaints
Written Complaints:
Recording and Registering a Complaint:
It is the responsibility of the person who is the complaint contact person to record the complaint and file it on the schools Admin Server in the Complaints File (861). The outcome of completed complaints must be recorded.
The admin file is used to track and analyse complaints.
NOTE: The Department’s Disputes and Complaints Policy and Procedures details the circumstances under which a complaint is to be managed externally to the school.
Possible remedies for resolving local complaints include:
Should a complainant be clearly unsatisfied with the school’s attempts to resolve a complaint, the following process applies;
Private and Confidential
Complaints Management
North Metropolitan Regional Office
Level 2
1 Puccini Court
Stirling
Western Australia 6021
PO Box 1126
Innaloo City
Western Australia 6918
While this request can be made verbally, it is preferable that it is made in writing.
Rejecting a Complaint:
Complaints judged to be vexatious, trivial or without substance, or where it is judged to not warrant further action, will not be progressed. You will be advised of this decision in writing.
Click this link for the full pamphlet