Complaints Procedure

Seventy20ten has a staged complaints procedure which aims to resolve concerns swiftly and fairly. The purpose of the procedure is to investigate complaints in a way that:

  • Encourages informal resolution of issues and concerns if possible

  • Is fair and equitable

  • Treats complaints with appropriate seriousness

Scope & Responsibility 

This procedure covers complaints relating to:

  • Any Seventy20ten policy, procedure or process

  • Academic and support services or facilities

  • The conduct or actions of a Seventy20ten member of staff

  • Misleading or inaccurate information regarding academic programmes, fees, services or facilities

This procedure is not used for:

  • Complaints about academic judgements, examination decisions, academic appeals or assessment outcomes

  • Appeals against disciplinary actions

  • Whistle blowing

Definitions

Seventy20ten uses the following definitions specific to this procedure:

  • A complaint is the expression of a specific concern

  • ‘Days’ refers to Monday – Friday

  • Timescales specified will be adhered to wherever possible but may be extended during seasonal holiday periods. On these occasions the complainant will be notified


Procedure

Complaints should be made as soon as possible after the events or actions (or lack of actions) which have prompted the complaint. Seventy20ten will not normally consider complaints that are made more than one calendar month after the incident or event complained about. In exceptional circumstances, a complaint may be considered outside this timeline.

A complainant may be invited for a meeting as part of any investigation relating to the complaint and may be accompanied by a parent/carer, employer or other representative. Details of any support needs will need to be declared prior to any meeting

Seventy20ten will make reasonable adjustments, where necessary, to ensure that the complaints procedure is fair, equitable and accessible to all.

Where it is inappropriate or not possible for a learner or other stakeholder to make a complaint, this may be done on their behalf by another person, who has a legitimate interest in the complaint and has the complainant’s knowledge and written consent.

Records will securely be held on Seventy20ten’s system.

The Complaints procedure is required to allow learners, assessor, internal assurers and employers to challenge an appropriate aspect of the centre’s operation.

If a person wishes to complain, the complaint is lodged with the Seventy20ten Directors within 20 days of the issue arising.

They will:

  • Set a date for the complaint to be considered by the complaints panel

  • Attempts to find a solution with the individuals concerned

  • Notifies the EQA via the IQA that a complaint has been lodged and gives details of how it will be heard, including the composition of the complaints panel

The Seventy20ten board will meet to consider the complaint within 20 working days of the Head of Apprenticeships and Operations receiving the complaint:

  • The appeals panel will be small and constituted so as to be objective and independent

  • The panel will ensure that it has full accounts from all parties involved in the assessment

  • No one involved in the original assessment will be on the panel

Seventy20ten will demonstrate that it can set up a panel which is objective and independent.

Seventy20ten provides a system to support those making the complaint and the complaint documentation should be as simple as possible and should preferably a pre-printed form.

For more information or if you would like to make a complaint please contact our administration team who will help and guide you through our process

Please contact us:

adminteam@seventy20ten.co.uk

0161 209 3561