Made a complaint, school gaslighting

[Gasflight]

Hoping for some help or support if anyone has been in a similar position?

Loads of problems with school over the years, disinterested head, safeguarding issues ignored etc. Raised a complaint with the governing body months ago which has eventually been responded to.

No acknowledgment of what I have said or highlighted, no trying to see my point of view, just an all out attack on how what I’ve said is untrue, how the way I’ve written my complaint is wrong (think marked with a red pen!) and a fair few other bits of mudslinging. I work in education myself. It’s baffling. There is ‘evidence’ for want of a better word showing what I’ve raised to be true and the school having made a number of errors. Really expected better than denial and a personal attack.

What to do? We will remove DC at the end of the year because of this but there must be something more I can do??? The problems don’t just impact my DC and some have been raised by others.

Is it an academy or a local authority maintained school? If the latter, next step is write to director of education. If the former, the MAT CEO. Then Ofsted if no joy.

Do it for the pupils who will still be there after yours have left.

Thanks @partystress. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing when I finally heard back from them. It was like being told off for daring to speak the truth… Do you mean the LEA director of education?

LEAs are no more, but within the council there will either be a director or assistant director with responsibility for schools. Probably within children’s services. There should also be a council cabinet member with responsibility for education.

Check out the complaints policy, usually first stage at governors is an investigation and response, second is usually a governor panel. After that it’s usually DfE but the complaints policy should set that out.

You need to follow the school or trust (academy) complaints policy, through all stages.
This will guide you to other relevant agencies at the correct point in the process.
Unless this is a serious safeguarding complaint, if you ‘jump’ the steps in the complaints process you will be directed back to - by Ofsted, by the Local Authority or any other agencies that you have contacted.

Where are you up to in the process/stages of the policy?