Reasonable response time to a complaint email?

321gogogo · 2023-03-20T16:50:00+00:00

Emailed a teacher with a complaint about another teacher on Friday. This morning I emailed the executive head of KS 3... No reply to either How long do you reasonably think I should give them before I go up the chain?

curlyfries22 · 20/03/2023 16:51

Friday? As in one working day ago?

maddy68 · 20/03/2023 16:53

You know they have opened it it sometime today and have been teaching all day they will reply when they are able

DistrictCommissioner · 20/03/2023 17:01

I think more than one working day is reasonable!

Original poster

321gogogo · 20/03/2023 17:03

curlyfries22 · 20/03/2023 16:51

Friday? As in one working day ago?

Usually the initial teacher I emailed replies on the same day..... I think because this has the potential to become something bigger she is being cautious hence my 2nd email.

OP posts:

Original poster

321gogogo · 20/03/2023 17:03

maddy68 · 20/03/2023 16:53

You know they have opened it it sometime today and have been teaching all day they will reply when they are able

Nope, I don't know they have opened it, I'm not psychic.

OP posts:

Twizbe · 20/03/2023 17:03

When on Friday?

I'd expect a 'thank you for your email we will look into it' type holding reply at least 1 working day.

However, give you sent it Friday and I'm assuming teacher has been ... you know teaching until about 4. I'd expect something before school starts tomorrow.

Anything longer you might have to wait a while for depending on the complaint.

You're being super unreasonable escalating this so soon.

Original poster

321gogogo · 20/03/2023 17:04

Twizbe · 20/03/2023 17:03

When on Friday?

I'd expect a 'thank you for your email we will look into it' type holding reply at least 1 working day.

However, give you sent it Friday and I'm assuming teacher has been ... you know teaching until about 4. I'd expect something before school starts tomorrow.

Anything longer you might have to wait a while for depending on the complaint.

You're being super unreasonable escalating this so soon.

And I'm sure the school will be super reasonable when I pull my son out of a certain lesson.
For clarity, this is an ongoing issue, which now warrants escalation

OP posts:

Soproudoflionesses · 20/03/2023 17:05

Impatient much?

redrobin75 · 20/03/2023 17:06

@321gogogo , are you following the complaints policy on the school website? The timelines will be laid out.

NorthernDrizzle · 20/03/2023 17:07

Are you following the complaint policy
Emailing a teacher wouldn't typically be step 1.

Original poster

321gogogo · 20/03/2023 17:10

Soproudoflionesses · 20/03/2023 17:05

Impatient much?

Not impatient, concerned

OP posts:

Original poster

321gogogo · 20/03/2023 17:11

NorthernDrizzle · 20/03/2023 17:07

Are you following the complaint policy
Emailing a teacher wouldn't typically be step 1.

Sorry, she is a head of department, but has been dealing with the issue since before Xmas

OP posts:

Theraffarian · 20/03/2023 17:11

My local school policy is to reply initially within 3 working days , chasing it up the following working day is somewhat impatient.

Twizbe · 20/03/2023 17:15

Still, if you sent the email at 5pm Friday it's reasonable it wasn't even seen until just before school this morning at the earliest.

This is obviously there's a massive drip feed coming.

On the face of it though, you're being unreasonable.

BrimFullOfAsher · 20/03/2023 17:15

OP hasn't actually answered a PPs question about what time on Fri either, is this where we find out it was at like 4pm?

Re your actual question, I'd wait more than a few working hours at least before you 'escalate further'. And if there is that much urgency with your concerns, maybe pick up the phone? Email isn't a method for urgent communications

TidyDancer · 20/03/2023 17:17

What's actually happened? Has your DS been harmed or put at risk (etc)? I'm assuming given your impatience that its something quite serious but that's also why you probably need to give it some time.

Original poster

321gogogo · 20/03/2023 17:17

BrimFullOfAsher · 20/03/2023 17:15

OP hasn't actually answered a PPs question about what time on Fri either, is this where we find out it was at like 4pm?

Re your actual question, I'd wait more than a few working hours at least before you 'escalate further'. And if there is that much urgency with your concerns, maybe pick up the phone? Email isn't a method for urgent communications

10am Friday. Unfortunately I work school hours so unable to call. I will call tomorrow if I haven't heard anything, as something will need to be done tomorrow as it impacts a lesson.

OP posts:

Twizbe · 20/03/2023 17:20

So right in the middle of teaching time....

And you work school hours too so know that teachers are a bit busy between 9 and 3:30.

Original poster

321gogogo · 20/03/2023 17:21

Twizbe · 20/03/2023 17:20

So right in the middle of teaching time....

And you work school hours too so know that teachers are a bit busy between 9 and 3:30.

Sorry, I work 8.15 to 5.45.
School are difficult to get hold of on the phone.
It was a simple question I asked, I didn't expect to get slatted.

OP posts:

LittleBearPad · 20/03/2023 17:22

If it was that urgent why not call at lunchtime on Friday?

eatdrinkandbemerry · 20/03/2023 17:23

3 working days is what I would consider reasonable

bestpossibletaste · 20/03/2023 17:25

OP, did you describe it as a "complaint" in the email? If so, you will need to find the formal complaints procedure on the school website, which will have timings in it. However, If you described is a "concern" or an "issue" then the teacher will reply when she is able to. Unless your school has a helpdesk with a published Service Level Agreement (unlikely), don't expect a holding reply or acknowledgement in the meantime.

lililililililili · 20/03/2023 17:52

State or indie? Our child is at prep but they have a 24 hour response rule. May sound cruel to the teachers, but it only takes seconds to acknowledge receipt of email. To respond to parents' queries and concerns is part of the teacher's job. As a professional I wouldn't leave an email over a day unless I am out of office.

redrobin75 · 20/03/2023 18:02

lililililililili · 20/03/2023 17:52

State or indie? Our child is at prep but they have a 24 hour response rule. May sound cruel to the teachers, but it only takes seconds to acknowledge receipt of email. To respond to parents' queries and concerns is part of the teacher's job. As a professional I wouldn't leave an email over a day unless I am out of office.

If it's stated as a complaint then it's via the school's complaints policy regardless of private or state.

lililililililili · 20/03/2023 18:10

redrobin75 · 20/03/2023 18:02

If it's stated as a complaint then it's via the school's complaints policy regardless of private or state.

Show quote history

Our school's policy only indicates the targeted time to resolution.
It does not have a mention of how soon the school will acknowledge or respond, so falling back to the general 24 hour rule.

Either way I think it's sensible to just let the parent know email has been received and that they'll look into it. Some teachers or schools aren't just up to that sensibility.