Complaints for Further Education

One of the main reasons people become unhappy with the service they receive is because they feel nobody is listening to them. Usually, problems can be resolved at an early stage by explaining the situation and discussing ways forward.

The first stage of the complaint process is Early Resolution, where a member of staff will work with you to find a solution to the issue. This could be as straightforward as having a discussion with your tutor.

At Stage 1, you do not need a written response to your complaint, but you may request one. The details of your complaint and the proposed resolution will be logged centrally for reporting purposes.

Who can I talk to? 

This may depend on what the complaint is about. Your tutor might be the person to talk to first, or you might prefer to arrange to talk to a manager who is responsible for your programme area. 

There are other people who can advise you. You could speak to:

• Personal Development Tutor
• The Student Representative for your course
• Any other members of staff you feel comfortable talking to

Timeframe 

To enable a speedy resolution, any concern or complaint should be raised as soon as possible and within 3 months of the event.

If you are not happy with the outcome of Stage 1, details of the complaint and proposed resolution should be placed in writing, preferably on a complaint form, and sent to the Quality team. Please contact the Quality team if you need any support in writing the complaint.

Our contact details are feedback@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk

The Quality team will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days of receipt. An independent manager will investigate the points raised in your complaint and aim to provide a written response within 10 working days*.

What happens after my complaint is investigated? Following a thorough investigation, you will be advised of the outcome. Examples of possible outcomes are:

• You will receive an explanation or apology.
• We may improve or change our procedures in light of the investigation.
• In some cases, there may not be enough evidence available to take any action over your complaint.
• There may have been factors of which you were unaware.

Data Protection / Information Release 

It is expected that students will assume responsibility for all communication with the College and for drawing attention to any problems or concerns. However, we are aware that parents/guardians or other individuals may on occasion contact the College if they have concerns

The College will release information to a parent/guardian/third party only with the express written consent of the student. On receipt of such consent, we will communicate directly with the parent, guardian, or third party acting on behalf of the student.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of Stage 2, you can appeal against the decision. The purpose of the appeal is to consider if the correct procedure has been followed during the Stage 2 and if the outcome was reasonable. 

An appeal will only take place if one or more of the following apply: 

• There is new evidence for consideration which materially affects the outcome 
• Not all of the evidence was considered when coming to a conclusion 
• Other procedural irregularity in the process 

Your next step is to complete an Appeal Request Form and send it to the Quality team within ten working days of the date of the complaint response letter.

The appeal will then be reviewed by a senior member of staff and a response will be made within 20 working days* of confirmation that there are grounds for appeal. 

I’m still not satisfied. What’s the next step? 

If you feel we have not resolved the problem satisfactorily, you may ask the DfE to review your complaint. The DfE will review if the College has followed its own procedures correctly. The contact details are: 

Customer Service Team Education and Skills Funding Agency, 
Cheylesmore House, 
Quinton Road, 
Coventry, 
CV1 2WT 

Or via: customer.complaints@education.gov.uk.

Higher Education Students 

Higher Education and Higher Apprenticeship students should refer to the Higher Education Complaints Policy and Procedure.

*Deadlines may be extended outside of term-time due to the availability of the staff involved or if further investigation is required. In this event, the complainant will be notified.