Anyone had positive experiences of ESFA? Trying to complain about a 6th form college after their complaints procedure wasn’t followed…

[VeryInteresting12]

We’ve complained about the behaviour of a teacher, and the way the college has been managed.
This had an internal investigation which was mishandled.
Then an independent investigation, the outcome of which we dispute and meant that we also complained about one of the trustees.
This then went to a stage 3 Panel.
We didn’t attend the panel as it didn’t comply with the college’s own criteria (the make up of the panel was inappropriate).

We complained about this panel to the ESFA via their website on 19/1 and they emailed to say they would get back to us within 8 days.
The ‘panel’ has now sat and of course it has upheld all of the decisions made thus far- which we expected.

So now what?
how long do we wait for the ESFA to contact us?
what else can we do?

We are considering a complaint about the teacher under the teacher misconduct route, as in one of the statements they made, they corroborate our claims about a particular incident and their behaviour deviated from the college policy. They also accept they should have done something different- but our complaint was not upheld by the college.
We are also waiting for a subject access request for various documents relating to welfare and safeguarding and our child.

we don’t know where else to turn tbh.

If youve not heard back from the ESFA, then reply to their email and ask for an update. The ESFA should first establish if you've exhausted the college's complaints procedure and then agree a summary with you. Then they review your complaint and how it was handled, asking the college to respond/provide supporting documents etc.

Very important to recognise that the ESFA aren't investigating your complaint, but how it was handled.

ESFA complaints info here:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-post-16-education-and-training-provision-funded-by-esfa/complaints-about-post-16-education-and-training-provision-funded-by-esfa

What do you want to happen?

Would Ofsted not be more appropriate? Or is it a funding issue? As the ESFA are surely about funding?

We have lodged the complaint with ESFA about how the original complaint was handled. We have also emailed them after 10 days to nudge. No reply.
our complaint with ESFA relates to how their panel was made up and that is certainly the right remit for them.

The outcome we want is for the college to recognise that the teacher behaved very badly and that their policies are flawed, they misunderstood what mental health is

Well given that ‘mental health’ does not have a specific definition you may be on a hiding to nothing.

Get over it. What a waste of everyone's time.

Sorry, I posted and it left the end of my post off.
I was writing about mental health issues.

But I can see the way this is going, so I’m done here