Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Complaint against teacher

16 replies

MacModesty · 26/01/2015 10:45

Few months ago I made a complaint against my sons reception teacher as he was literally shouting at me when I approached him regarding a 'matter' about my son. It was unprovoked and my son witnessed the incident.

When I made my complaint to the HT about the teacher and the other 'matter' she said she had spoken to other teacher who said it was a 'heated discussion'. The teacher apologized but said that he 'matched my tone' implying that I was the one who was shouting.

I am deeply upset about this, I attended the meeting alone and felt intimidated and felt that the HT and teacher played down the whole incident and blamed me for it.

Furthermore the HT ignored the fact that I had approached the teacher over a 'matter' which no one has taken ownership for.

When I was given the notes from this meeting the teacher implied that I had agreed the complaint was over the unprofessional behavior and ignored the other 'matter'.

Should I put my complaint in writing to the HT? or should I just let it pass? I feel that the HT plays down matters and shuts parents up by implying that she has witnesses who were clearly not in the room.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

youngestisapyscho · 26/01/2015 10:47

You can go above the HT and complain about her to the school governors.

Original poster

MacModesty · 26/01/2015 10:51

@youngestisapyscho - thanks for your response.

I have considered that but have been told that governors always side with the HT - as does the HT side with her teachers.

I guess I want to put my complaint in writing so that there is a written log of my complaint and if there are issues in the future then there is a record.

Would any complaint go on my sons record?

OP posts:

youngestisapyscho · 26/01/2015 11:39

I'm not really sure what happens after you go to the governors.... sorry.

prh47bridge · 26/01/2015 13:16

Putting your complaint in writing should not have any adverse effect on your son's school career.

If you are unhappy with the HT's response you need to follow the school's complaints procedure which probably says that your next stop is the governors, although you may need to write to the HT and get a written response before you can go there. You must follow the school's procedure. You cannot take the matter elsewhere until you have exhausted the school's complaints procedure.

Once you have done that you will be able to refer the matter to the EFA if this is an academy or free school. If it is some other type of school you may be able to refer the matter to the LA but you may find you can't go any further than the governors. Note that the EFA and the LA will only look at how the school made its decision. They will not intervene unless the school has failed to follow the correct process, e.g. by considering evidence they should have ignored or ignoring evidence they should have considered. They will not intervene simply because they think the school has made the wrong decision.

nlondondad · 26/01/2015 15:52

If it is a school which is state financed (ie not fee paying) and it is also NOT an Academy or Free School, then the LA will be able to advise you regarding the correct procedure.

In fact why not contact your LA in the first instance if you have any doubt regarding the status of the school as they will know?

They could be good people to talk to as it is not their job to have any view on the merits of your complaint just how to carry out the process.

Doowrah · 26/01/2015 18:57

What was your original problem?

tobysmum77 · 26/01/2015 19:04

I must admit playing devils advocate you seem rather aggressive in the way you refer to 'a matter'. Did you have an appointment with the teacher if it was something important?

PopularNamesInclude · 26/01/2015 19:10

How is op referring to 'a matter' aggressive??

tobysmum77 · 26/01/2015 19:26

It's the way it reads to me.

BackforGood · 26/01/2015 19:36

If your dc is in Reception, and you aren't planning to move, you've got another 6 and half years to work together with this school and support your dc (longer if there are younger siblings).

If the situation was - as I have interpreted it - that the teacher was somewhat aggressive in tone when wanting to sort something out, and you have now complained and had a meeting, then, tbh, I would leave it. It sounds (and of course we only have your side of it) like he was wrong, but I'd be inclined to think he made a mistake, you've made sure it's been registered, lets move on and start afresh. After all, we are all human and you don't know what else was going on in his life at that time / on that day.
Difficult for anyone to comment on what 'a matter' is - obviously your perrogative to keep details to yourself, but then it does make it difficult for others to know if you should make more of a 'thing' of the situation, or move on.

Original poster

MacModesty · 28/01/2015 09:42

Thank you for your response.

@tobysmum77 - your response is unhelpful.

OP posts:

tobysmum77 · 29/01/2015 07:37

I was just asking a question, didn't mean to be unhelpful. Teachers are approached in lots of different ways by parents. All from those who punch to the thoroughly reasonable. As a result it is easy to feel threatened if it is an approach you aren't expecting. Really didn't mean to cause any offence

diamondage · 29/01/2015 09:42

The benefit of putting your complaint in writing is that Ofsted view complaints as part of their inspections. If parents don't formally record complaints then Ofsted have no information about how the school handles complaints from parents.

If you are at all concerned that the teacher will behave like this in the future then can you take another person with you?

Sadly a few men (and women) behave completely differently when dealing with men compared to how they deal with women - the only way to discover if this is relevant to your situation is to take a male relative with you or for them to go on your behalf - assuming of course that this is a practical option for you.

Blueundies · 29/01/2015 13:15

The school should have a published complaint procedure. Seems odd to me that you ended up in a heated discussion ?!? What was it over. I think Tobymum made fair comment

BackforGood · 29/01/2015 18:25

I too, feel TobysMum is perfectly entitled to ask / put forward her opinion.
You've asked on the internet what we think you should do.
From what you've told us people have offered their thoughts. Often, people post things without being entirely honest, even with themselves, about their version of any dispute or disagreement - not lying, but putting a better light on their side of the story, possibly by omitting things. Of course, it's completely understandable you don't want the details all over the internet, but then, it's difficult for people to help when they can't really understand what the situation is.

Wellintothenewyear · 29/01/2015 20:09

To help you it would be useful to know what the original issue was and whether it's been resolved.

Because you're weighing up different options and you need to think holistically about what's in the interests of your child here.

FWIW, I think the head will have spoken to the teacher quite severely in private and the teacher will be careful how to speak to you from now on. You've probably already got your result, just not visibly.

Flip