School complaints

Find out how to raise a concern or complain about a school

If you have a concern about your child’s school and wish to make a complaint, you need to contact the school.

Talk to the school

Try to talk to someone at the school first. Many concerns can be resolved in this way and it helps to maintain a good relationship with the school.

School complaints procedure

If the informal discussion doesn’t work, ask for a copy of the school’s complaints procedures and follow their guidance on how to express your concern.

Further action

If you’ve gone through each stage of the school's complaints procedure and are still unhappy with the outcome, contact the Department for Education (DfE) for more advice.

Special needs provision

If you're concerned that your child is not getting the right help in school for their special educational needs, explore mediation and appeal options on the Essex Local Offer website

Complaints about our services

If something's gone wrong with one of our services, let us know.