Introduction and Purpose
As part of our commitment to quality and improvement, Primary Goal welcomes the views and feedback of our learners, our employers and third parties. The purpose of this policy and the procedures contained within it is to ensure that all complaints received by Primary Goal are recorded, investigated and all necessary corrective and preventative action is taken.
Responsibility
All staff have a responsibility to attempt to resolve informal complaints prior to the Complaints Policy being enforced. Directors have overall responsibility for the effective control and investigation of complaints. Members of the Senior Leadership Team will assist in the implementation of this policy, and the resolution of complaints.
Making a Compliant
Primary Goal will consider any expression of dissatisfaction, either verbally or in writing, as a complaint.
Complaints will be assessed by a member of the Primary Goal team to determine whether they may be resolved informally or formally with agreement from the party raising the complaint. In cases where the complaint may be dealt with informally, this will be passed onto the most appropriate member of the Primary Goal team to resolve any issues.
Should the complaint be deemed necessary to be raised formally, either by the complainant or the member of the Primary Goal team assessing the complaint, a formal complaint may be raised. Formal complaints can be made in the following ways:
By telephone – 024 7526 7600 Norah Smith, Shared Services Manager or Barbara Veeramallay-Permaul, Chief Operating Officer.
By email – complaints@primarygoal.ac.uk
Should you wish to make a formal complaint, please ensure you include your name, contact details, relationship to Primary Goal (i.e., learner, employer, third party) and a description of your complaint are provided.
In some cases, and if appropriate, the complainant may be asked to provide their complaint in writing, if they have not already done so, to record and escalate their concern appropriately.
If the complaint is around dissatisfaction towards Awarding Organisations, such as exams and assessments (including end point assessments), then learners can directly raise their complaint with the appropriate organisation if they are not satisfied with the outcome of the process. In this instance, please visit the Awarding Organisation’s website directly for information, or contact your Coach, who will be happy to provide this information for you.
Procedure
If a complaint is unable to be resolved informally, a formal complaint can be raised using the above methods.
Details of all formal complaints will be stored internally within Primary Goal’s SharePoint system. Upon notification of a formal complaint being received, the Chief Operating Officer, an appropriate member of the Senior Leadership Team or a Director, should be notified of such complaint within 24 hours of it being received. The member of the Senior Leadership Team, or Director, assigned to respond to the complaint should then send an acknowledgement email or letter within 48 hours of the complaint being made.
Primary Goal will aim to reach an outcome or resolution within 10 working days of the complaint being received. However, in cases where a complaint is more complex, or requires investigation, this time frame may be extended. Primary Goal will endeavour to keep the complainant reasonably informed of the progress of their complaint being resolved.
Primary Goal aims to have communicated outcomes and decisions regarding the received complaint with the complainant within 15 working days.
Appeals
In the event of the complainant being dissatisfied with the response received in relation to their complaint, they may appeal against the decision within 10 working days of Primary Goal’s response.
The appeal will be escalated to a Director, or a member of the Senior Leadership Team, who is independent of the original complaint. The same time scales will then apply to reattempt to resolve the complaint. The outcome of the appeal will conclude the complaints process.
Should the complainant still be dissatisfied with the resolution provided after the above complaints and appeals processes have been exhausted, and the complaint relates to a course or employer funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), contact may be made within three months of a decision or outcome being provided in relation to your original complaint in the following ways:
By post – Complaints Team, Education and Skills Funding Agency, Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road,
Coventry, CV1 2WT
Online – https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/education-and-skills-funding
agency/about/complaints-procedure
Equality and Diversity
In conjunction with Primary Goal’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy, all complaints will be treated fairly, and complainants will not face discrimination or exclusion following a complaint being made.
Complainants will be treated with respect and fairness throughout all investigations into their complaints.
Review
Primary Goal will continue to review the contents of this policy annually.
