How to complain

What can you do to ensure the LAP ‘STOP, THINK, ENGAGE’?

Complaints: The more people who speak up the less easily complaints can be dismissed. Our main goal is to delay the plan for September 2025.

Key topics to cover in your complaints are:

Lack of meaningful consultation with key stakeholders
It is a financial decision, not an educational decision.
Lack of transparency in the process (considering alternatives/financial position)
Causing undue stress on teachers and children at the very end of term
Already reducing TA cover across the school and now suggesting larger, mixed age/key stage classes
No other LAP schools with similar pupil numbers to model a curriculum off.
No evidence presented of a trust risk assessment, for damage on reputation, loss of income and risk of pupils leaving.

The goal to focus on the pause:

Eg ‘We urge you to stop, think, and consult before implementing major structural changes to our school, especially when there is no evidence that alternative solutions have been considered’.

Address all complaints to 'Mrs Nunn' at dnunn@lapsw.org

The following contacts can be cc’d into all emails.

tcleverly@lapsw.org (LAP CEO)

governanceteam@lapsw.org (LAP governance team)

rebecca.smith.mp@parliament.uk (MP for South and West Devon)

sue.lockwood@exeter.anglican.org (Head of education – Exeter Diocese)

RG.SW@education.gov.uk (regional DfE Director)

Process of complaint:

To make a formal complaint (stage 2) the letter needs to be addressed to Mrs Nunn, the above people should be CC’d into it:

The Headteacher will ensure that a written or oral acknowledgement is provided to the complainant within five working term time days of receiving a complaint. The acknowledgement should give a target date for providing a response to the complaint which will normally be within the ten academy term time days.

IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE THAT COVERS YOUR CONCERNS:

An unresolved complaint under Stage 2 can be escalated to a stage 3 complaint. Address any Stage 3 Complaints to the Director of Education via Mrs Nunn, and CC the above names in your email. You can simply forward the original complaint with ‘my concerns have not been alleviated, I wish to now escalate this to stage 3’.

If you are dissatisfied with the way the concern/complaint was handled at Stage 3, you may go to Stage 4

STAGE 4 COMPLAINT:

An unresolved complaint under Stage 3, should be set out in writing with full details and sent with all relevant documents and full contact details for the attention of the Chair of the Ethos and Advisory Committee. This can be sent via governanceprofessional@lapsw.org.

A request for a complaint to be heard by a Complaints Panel (an appeal) must be made in writing and within ten working days of the date of the decision made at Stage 3.

FOR SOME EXAMPLES OF COMPLAINTS SENT SO FAR, AND WHICH YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE TO BORROW FROM, SEE BELOW