Schools are very busy and complex organisations. Each day many things occur and countless decisions are made. Our School Community is diverse, with many individuals and groups having vastly different opinions on how things could and should be done. It is inevitable that situations will arise when some parents disagree with the school’s actions.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with parents and caregivers to discuss concerns. We encourage parents and caregivers to raise issues so that they may be dealt with speedily and resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned. Complaint management is not a negative experience, so long as the issues are dealt with objectively by all parties.
Our school encourages the use of the following procedures to resolve complaints or concerns:
- Let the school know via letter, email or telephone in person that you have a concern, providing details of the issue to be resolved.
- The school will investigate and will endeavour to find out the facts surrounding the concern.
- The most appropriate person will contact you to discuss the matter or to organise a meeting. Many concerns are resolved quickly once everyone is aware of all the facts.
- However, if the matter remains unresolved parents and caregivers are encouraged to make an appointment to discuss the issue with the Principal.
- Officers from Education Queensland can be contacted to help solve problems. The Principal can provide contact details.
Things to keep in mind:
- Opinions vary widely – disagreement is a natural part of life.
- People need time to investigate and resolve many problems; a quick fix is not always possible or desirable.
- There are always at least two sides to every story – with students there can be many versions of the same event.
- Not all disagreements can be resolved. Some decisions will not suit everyone.
- Problems are best resolved using a positive attitude. Irrational approaches are usually counter-productive to solving problems.
Contact with children at school
We have experienced an isolated incidence of a parent or guardian approaching a child from another family in order to attempt to sort out a problem. We advise that this is a totally inappropriate way to deal with a situation. At school, children are in the care of teachers. If a situation arises where a parent or caregiver may be less than happy about the alleged behaviour of a child, please do not approach/contact the child. Please contact a member of the school administration or your child’s teacher to discuss the matter. This procedure should be followed in all cases.