This policy provides staff members, parents/caregivers/whānau and the wider school community with clear procedures for raising concerns and making complaints. Complaints may also come from members of the public.
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Our concerns and complaints procedures enable us to:

• maintain a safe environment for our students and staff
• treat all people fairly and with dignity and respect
• resolve matters of concern early and at the lowest level, if possible
• respond to feedback and concerns constructively and in a timely manner
• deal with complaints fairly, effectively, and in a timely manner
• take into account individual circumstances
• maintain privacy and confidentiality
• preserve and enhance school and community relationships
• check that solutions have been implemented and are working, including feeding back to the person who raised the issue, where appropriate
• monitor and record concerns and complaints about student safety and wellbeing
• meet our legal and ethical obligations.
  
  

We encourage open communication and ask that you contact the school promptly when issues arise. If you have a concern, please let us know before sharing negative personal views online. In all instances, you may have a support person to help you raise a concern or make a complaint.

Concerns

Where appropriate, we try to deal with concerns informally in the first instance. If you would like to raise a concern with us, please follow the steps below. If you believe your concern cannot be resolved informally, it may be appropriate to make a formal complaint. In all instances, you may have a support person to help you raise a concern or make a complaint.

1. Raise the concern with the right person

• If you are a student and you have a concern about your teacher, in the first instance you should try to address the issue directly with the teacher concerned. If you cannot resolve the matter informally with your teacher, raise the concern with your Kaiārahi or Dean.
• If you have a concern about a staff member or a school activity, contact the staff member or person organising the school activity to discuss the matter. We ask that you make this direct approach as soon as possible.
  If you do not wish to approach the staff member involved, contact a member of the management team (HoLA, Dean, SLT) or the Principal to discuss your concern. 
• If the matter concerns the Principal and you have not first resolved it by discussion, or you feel uncomfortable directly approaching the Principal, contact the Board Chair.
• If the matter concerns a board member, contact the Principal or Board Chair if it concerns the Board Chair.

2. Work towards a resolution
In most cases, concerns can be resolved informally through discussion.

• Be prepared to make an alternative time to discuss your concern if the person involved is unable to talk with you straight away.
• Be open to listening to the other side of the story.
• Follow-up actions or later check-ins may be able to be agreed where appropriate.
• Involving a third party to facilitate discussion or participate in a meeting may be appropriate.

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your initial meeting, contact the person’s line manager (eg Dean, Head of Learning Area, Deputy Principal or Principal) to discuss further resolution.

If this process does not resolve your concern, you can make a formal complaint.

Complaints

Formal complaints may be about an employee of the school, a parent or caregiver, a student, or any matter within the school's responsibility. If you have a complaint about the conduct or competence of a teacher, the complaint must be made directly to the Principal and Board.

Formal complaints should be made in writing (i.e. email or letter) to ensure the school is able to meet its legal and ethical obligations, including complying with the requirements of natural justice.

All parties should respect privacy and confidentiality, including avoiding the use of social media to promote a point of view.

1. How to make a complaint
​Put your specific complaint(s) in writing and include your preferred contact details. Give as many facts and details as possible, including the names of people involved and dates of events, as well as any steps you have taken to resolve the matter. It is usually not possible to effectively investigate complaints that are made anonymously. If you have any specific concerns about your identity being disclosed then please include these with your formal complaint so they can be discussed with you directly.

The email or letter should be marked "confidential" and sent to:​​

• the Principal, if the complaint is about a staff member, student, parent or caregiver, or other member of the school community, including if it is about the conduct or competence of a teacher and is serious in nature.
• the Board Chair, if it is about the Principal, or the the Board Chair.

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​Contact details for the Principal, and Board Chair are available at the school office or online.

2. What happens with your complaint
The Principal and Board Chair will check that your complaint has come to the correct person and then send you an acknowledgement of receipt, within 5 working days. The complaint will be reviewed by the correct parties which may require additional information and investigation prior to determining the correct course of action.