Elevate Learning Provision - COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE 

Introduction  

We aim to maintain high standards in all that we do but recognise that we can sometimes get things wrong, despite our best intentions.  

Elevate Learning Provision views a complaint as an opportunity to put things right for the person making the complaint and to improve and put right the service activities and benefits that Elevate Learning Provision offers. We would not be able to do so or learn for the future if we did not receive feedback when things go wrong. Therefore, we value and take seriously any feedback we receive.  

Generally, the purpose of this Complaints Procedure is to resolve disputes informally without resorting to formal investigation or legal proceedings. We will try to explore every reasonable option to resolve complaints by working with the person making the complaint to agree an outcome which is satisfactory to them and Elevate Learning Provision.  

Whether your complaint is justified or not, our reply to you will describe the action we have taken to investigate the complaint, conclusions we have reached as a result of the investigation, and any action we have taken or are taking as a result of your complaint.  

We will ensure that all information received and produced in connection with a complaint is treated as confidential and handled sensitively, that only those who need to know have access to it, and that all relevant data protection requirements are met.  

All complaint information is passed promptly to our administration officer and then to our Directors within 7 working days.  

The information below sets out our Complaints Procedure.  

Complaint: A ‘complaint’ in this Procedure means any expression of dissatisfaction in relation to Elevate Learning Provision that requires a response from Elevate Learning Provision.  

Where complaints may come from Complaints may come from users of Elevate Learning Provision’s services those involved in Elevate Learning Provision’s activities services users/stake holders customers suppliers members of the local authority or local community or any other person or organisation who has a legitimate interest in Elevate Learning Provision’s activities..  

Complaints which cannot be dealt with under this Procedure. This Procedure is only for the above type of external complaint, not for complaints or grievances from staff, other workers, or sub-contractors.  

Whilst complainants are generally entitled to receive responses to a complaint and to challenge any responses received from Elevate Learning Provision, it will not deal with complaints or challenges where, in the reasonable opinion of the Directors, they amount to persistent, habitual or vexatious complaints or challenges.  

Elevate Learning Provision expects any complainant to be polite and courteous. It will not tolerate aggressive, abusive or unreasonable behaviour or demands.  

How to make a complaint  

First Stage  

If you have a complaint, you can contact us in person or by phone, email, or letter.  

To help us investigate and address all complaints, please provide as much information as possible. This should cover:  

● The reason for, and nature of, your complaint  

● Where and when what you are complaining about happened  

● The name(s) of anyone involved (if known)  

● What outcome you are hoping for (but we are not obliged to resolve the complaint in that way)  

● Your contact details (name, address, daytime telephone number and/or email address)  

Who you should contact within Elevate Learning Provision will depend on how you choose to make contact and whom you wish to complain about. Below is the list of people you can contact.  

Verbal complaints: You can make a complaint by telephone or by speaking to us in person in any of the following ways, during office hours.  

If your complaint is about any member of staff, you can phone us on 07988860033 and ask to speak to our Administrator. They will either speak to you about the complaint or, if they are not the appropriate person, arrange for the appropriate person to speak with you by phone. Alternatively, you can speak (or arrange to speak) in person to the appropriate person about your complaint.  

If you do not feel that you can approach any of the above verbally for any reason, you can instead write to us as follows.  

Complaints in writing  

If you would prefer to write to us, please send your complaint to us as follows:  

Either by letter addressed as follows:  

The Administrator  

Elevate Learning Provision  

Old Station Road, Balsall Heath,  

Birmingham,  

B12 0AY 

or by email to him/her at email address complaints@elevatelearningprovison.co.uk  

Once that person has initially received your complaint, we will normally deal with it as follows:  

Who the complaint is about: Who will investigate, deal with, and respond  

to you about it.  

A named member of staff or Director  

Timescales for all First Stage complaints made by phone, in person or in writing.  

We will try to resolve the problem as quickly as possible, but if we cannot do this (for example, if we need to investigate further), we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within the following timescale:  

● By phone or in person, either immediately or on the same day if you phone us or contact us in person  

● By email, within 24 hours if you contact us by email  

● By letter, within five working days if you contact us by letter  

Our acknowledgement will inform you when we next contact you, either with a proposed resolution or an update. It will also inform you of the name of the person dealing with your complaint. That person will investigate it, deal with it, and then respond to you with their definitive reply.  

You should receive that definitive reply within [four weeks]. If this is not possible because, for example, an investigation has not been fully completed, a progress report will be sent indicating when a full reply will be provided.  

Second stage  

If, for any reason, you are not happy with the resolution of your complaint under the First Stage procedure outlined above, you can bring this to our attention as follows.  

Please address a letter to:  

Named Director  

Elevate Learning Provision  

Old Station Road, Balsall Heath,  

Birmingham,  

B12 0AY 

or by email to the email address complaints@elevatelearningprovison.co.uk 

Outline your complaint, explaining why you were not satisfied with our response under the First Stage and what you would like us to do to put things right.  

The director will send an acknowledgement within 5 working days and arrange to investigate your complaint and respond with a definitive reply within a further 10 working days.  

Third stage  

If you are still not satisfied with our response and wish to take your complaint further, please inform the UK-SBA/Local Authority/School within 28 days of receiving the definitive reply we sent to you under the Second Stage. Please contact him/her by letter or email as required for the Second Stage (as above).  

Your case will then be passed to a panel of at least two other senior Directors/staff (not including any about whom the complaint was made or the Consultant, Manager, or Director who investigated and responded to you under the Second Stage). The panel will further investigate your complaint and will contact you with their conclusions and any actions to be taken.  

You can expect this to take a further [10] working days from the date we receive your letter or email requesting implementation of the Third Stage.  

Follow up  

To make improvements to Elevate Learning Provision and its services and activities, we may contact you within a month of your complaint being dealt with to check that you were satisfied with our resolution. Any information you give will only be used to make improvements to Elevate Learning Provision and its services and activities.  

Other Authorities The current guidance to the public states that:  

● if you believe there is criminal activity, you should inform the police  

● if you suspect fraud, you should report it using the Action Fraud Online Reporting Service at http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or call 0300 123 2040  

If a complaint relates to your personal data, it may be appropriate to contact the Office of the Information Commissioner.  

A complaint could be directed to another regulator where it properly falls under its jurisdiction or remit. For example, a complaint could be made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) where appropriate.