Scoil Naomh Anna

Parental Complaints

The Board of Management of St. Anne’s N.S. has adopted the INTO / CPSMA Complaints Procedure which provides a mechanism for dealing fairly with parental complaints against a teacher.

Introduction
Only those complaints about teachers which are written and signed by parents/guardians of pupils may be investigated formally by the Board of Management, except where those complaints are deemed by the Board to be:

(i) on matters of professional competence and which are to be referred to the Department of Education;
(ii) frivolous or vexatious complaints and complaints which do not impinge on the work of a teacher in a school;
(iii) complaints in which either party has recourse to law or to another existing procedure.

Unwritten complaints not in the above categories may be processed informally as set out in Stage 1 of this procedure.

Stage 1
1.1 A parent / guardian who wishes to make a complaint should, unless there are local arrangements to the contrary, approach the class teacher with a view to resolving the complaint.
1.2 Where the parent / guardian is unable to resolve the complaint with the class teacher she / he should approach the Principal Teacher with a view to resolving it.
1.3 If the complaint is still unresolved the parent / guardian should raise the matter with the
Chairperson of the Board of Management with a view to resolving it.

Stage 2
2.1 If the complaint is still unresolved and the parent/guardian wishes to pursue the matter further she / he should lodge the complaint in writing with the Chairperson of the Board of Management.
2.2 The Chairperson should bring the precise nature of the written complaint to the notice of the teacher and seek to resolve the matter between the parties within 5 days of receipt of the written complaint.

Stage 3
3.1 If the complaint is not resolved informally, the Chairperson should, subject to the general authorisation of the Board and except in those cases where the chairperson deems the particular authorisation of the Board to be required:
(a) supply the teacher with a copy of the written complaint; and
(b) arrange a meeting with the teacher and, where applicable, the Principal Teacher with a view to resolving the complaint.
Such a meeting should take place within 10 days of receipt of the written complaint.
Stage 4
4.1 If the complaint is still not resolved the Chairperson should make a formal report to the Board within 10 days of the meeting referred to in 3.2 (b).
4.2 If the Board considers that the complaint is not substantiated the teacher and the complainant should be so informed within 3 days of the Board meeting.
4.3 If the Board considers that the complaint is substantiated or that it warrants further investigation it proceeds as follows:
(a) The teacher should be informed that the investigation is proceeding to the next
stage;
(b) The teacher should be supplied with a copy of any written evidence in support of the complaint;
(c) The teacher should be requested to supply a written statement to the Board in response to the complaint;
(d) The teacher should be afforded an opportunity to make a presentation of case to the Board. The teacher would be entitled to be accompanied and assisted by a friend at any such meeting;
(e) The Board may arrange a meeting with the complainant if it considers such to be required. The complainant would be entitled to be accompanied and assisted by a friend at any such meeting;
(f ) The meeting of the Board of Management referred to in (d) and (e) will take place
within 10 days of the meeting referred to in 3.1 (b).

Stage 5
5.1 When the Board has completed its investigation, the Chairperson should convey the decision of the Board in writing to the teacher and the complainant within 5 days of the meeting of the Board.
5.2 The decision of the Board shall be final.

In this policy ‘days’ means school days.

Important note: Revised procedures for processing complaints by Parents will be prescribed for all schools under Section 28 of the Education Act 1998. At present these have not been prescribed and therefore these procedures are the only agreed procedures.


Parent – Teacher Meetings

Annual Parent–Teacher meetings are held each year towards the end of November in accordance with Circular 14/04.

Parents / guardians are given a 10 minute appointment for each child a week in advance.

A school family register, which is updated each year, allows for the efficient allocation of times to families with more than one child in the school.

Two afternoons are allocated for the purposes of the meetings, which start at 2.30 pm and continue at 10 minute intervals.

Parent – Teacher meeting report sheets are available to teachers who choose to use them as a method of conducting the meetings.

Prior to the meetings, a handout is circulated to teachers outlining
The aims of the meetings
Suggestions on how to conduct the meetings
Suggestions with regard to preparing for the meetings.

Where necessary, teachers are available to meet parents by appointment during the school year.

Uniform

All children are obliged to wear the appropriate school uniform and the school tracksuit for P.E.

For boys, the school uniform consists of grey trousers, navy v-neck jumper with crest, light blue shirt. For girls, the uniform consists of a navy and green check skirt, navy v-neck jumper with crest, light blue shirt. **Pinafore is available for younger girls. The school does insist on a particular supplier for the school uniform jumper – available from Uniformity, Dún Laoghaire.

For Physical Education a navy school tracksuit with school crest sewn on should be worn. Earrings, if worn, should be small studs. For health and safety reasons, no hoop / dangly earrings should be worn.

No black-soled runners please as they mark floor surfaces.

The school tracksuit must be worn on P.E. days and on School tours / outings if specified.

Parents are asked to label relevant items of clothing with their child's name and call to the school if an item of clothing is missing. Lost and found property is located on the top corridor of the school.