Written question asked by Bob Spink (Independent (affiliation)) on Monday, 22 March 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 24 March 2010. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Monday, 29 March 2010 on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Academies

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what mechanisms exist for (a) parents and (b) staff to submit complaints about the operation of academies.

Answer: Academies are required by the independent school standards regulations to have a complaints procedure which must be available on request to parents. The procedure must provide for complaints to be managed within clear time scales. If initial informal consideration does not resolve the complaint, then the procedure must also include steps to escalate a complaint through both a formal written stage and, if necessary, a hearing before a panel that includes at least one member who is independent of the academy.If the complaint cannot be resolved at school level from the 1 April 2010, the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) will be the next route of redress. The YPLA will review the evidence provided by the complainant and the academy to determine if the academy has followed its own complaints procedure or is in breach of a contractual or statutory obligation. If the academy has not followed its procedures or obligations it will be asked to do so to rectify any failings.Ultimately a complaint can be referred to the Secretary of State on the grounds that a governing body is acting or proposing to act unreasonably or on the grounds that either has failed to discharge its duties. The same procedure as stated above also applies to staff who want to complain about academies.

Secondary information