Unsure of Complaints Procedure

[OhLookHeKickedTheBall]

Sorry if I'm asking a stupid question, but the schools complaint procedure is not available. I have a copy of the old one, but the school merged earlier this year and they have updated policies but not yet published them.

I've made a complaint through the old system. So I've done: teacher and hoy, then head. I've had zero response from head, not even an acknowledgement that they received it. We now have an overarching head. Would I be right in assuming that this is the next person I should go to before going to the governors?

For info, this is still an LA school not an academy but they're now in a partnership with each other. I've never dealt with this sort of set up before and tbh I'd rather they sorted the problem than having to complain to the governors.

It does not matter what the school is doing in terms of federation, they still have to have a complaints policy, which has to be published on their website and available via the school office. Assuming we are talking about two schools who are federating together then they will probably be moving to a situation where there is a new governing board across the two schools, not a board for each school and having common policies. Whilst I appreciate that doing this takes time it does not absolve the school as it is currently set up from having a policy around complaints. In fact given there is national guidance on complaint procedures it is unlikely that there is that much difference between the old policy and any new policy.
It is worrying that you have received no response from the headteacher, who is absolutely the person who is required to consider and reply to any complaint. I would therefore formally write to the school, saying you made a complaint on X date, using the complaints policy dated Y and that todate you have received no response. You should state that you now require a written response to the complaint within 5 school days or you will escalate the complaint to the governing board, due to the lack of progress in any response.
I would not involve any "executive head" over the two schools at this time, as you need to be seen to be following the complaints procedure, which at present will not involve any "executive head"

Can you not ring them to ask?

Thank you for replying. I managed to speak to someone in school who said to go to the Executive Head which I then did, though reading admissions post now I wish I'd gone that way as it's much more sensible.

In all honesty I don't think I will escalate anything to the governors anyway. Its not a major thing in terms of complaints but I've lost trust in the school so its really my last shot to see if the school will deal with things before I move the DC to a different one.