Complaints Policy and Procedure

1. Introduction

   • 1.1. Leicester College strives to produce the highest quality learning opportunities and services and is determined to be known for excellence in all that it does. However, we accept that sometimes our service to students, customers and visitors falls short of these standards. If you are dissatisfied in any way with our services, we are keen to hear from you and to do what we can to rectify matters.

   • 1.2. Complaints provide valuable feedback so that we can improve our service. In this sense, complaints are welcome, and you should not feel concerned that there will be negative consequences to you personally if you make a complaint.

   • 1.3. A complaint is defined as "an expression of dissatisfaction about our action or lack of action or the standard of service provided".

   • 1.4. All complaints need to be submitted within twelve months from the time of leaving the College as a Student and/or the incident.

   • 1.5. Most complaints are handled in an informal manner and are resolved quickly, sensitively and to the satisfaction of the complainant. However, there are occasions when complainants behave in an unreasonable manner when raising and/or pursuing concerns, for further details please refer to the Dealing with Persistent and Vexatious Complaints Policy.

   • 1.6. Complaints regarding qualifications must go through this Complaints Policy before you contact the relevant awarding organisation. If you are not satisfied with the response, the Quality Improvement team can provide contact details of the relevant awarding organisation.

   • 1.7. Compliments. The College is also very pleased to receive praise.

   • 1.8. This policy applies to all College activity including ESF contracts.

2. Complaints Procedure

   • 2.1. The College Complaints Procedure has three formal stages. We hope that most complaints for internal students can be resolved informally.

     Informal - For Internal Students Only.

   • 2.2. If you are unhappy about any aspect of your course, you should in the first instance take it up with the member of staff or person responsible for the area concerned. In most instances we should be able to resolve your concern through this means.

   • 2.3. If you don’t feel comfortable discussing your complaint with a member of staff from your area you can talk to a member of staff from the Student Enrichment Team who can be contacted by telephoning 0116 224 2240 extension 4279. They will talk through your concerns and may direct you to the team that can help you.

     Formal - Stage 1 – Parents/Carers, Visitors, Employers, College Partners or Students who are dissatisfied with the outcome of the informal stage.

   • 2.4. There are several different ways you can make a formal complaint. All formal stage 1 complaints will be logged and acknowledged by the College. They will be investigated and responded to, in writing, by the manager responsible for the area about which the complaint is made.

   • 2.5. The manager will normally provide feedback to you within fifteen working days. If the investigation is likely to exceed fifteen working days, the manager will contact you and tell you when we expect a response will be available.

   • 2.6. After you have made your complaint:

     • You will receive a written acknowledgement within three working days, where details are supplied.

     • Your complaint will be fully investigated.

     • You will receive a response within fifteen working days from the responsible manager setting out the result of the investigation and the action that will be taken. If the investigation is likely to exceed fifteen days, we will contact you and tell you when we expect a response will be available.

   • 2.7. You may make a complaint anonymously if you so wish. However, we will not be able to provide an acknowledgement of the complaint, investigate the complaint fully or provide a reply to you personally.

   • 2.8. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you should proceed to Stage 2 within three months of receiving a written response; otherwise, the college will assume the case is settled.

     Formal - Stage 2

   • 2.9. You should contact the Quality Improvement Team, stating the reason why you are dissatisfied with the outcome of stage 1. Your stage 2 complaint will then be sent to the Principal’s Office for investigation.

   • 2.10.When you make a stage 2 complaint:

     • you will receive a written acknowledgement within three working days.

     • your complaint will be fully investigated.

     • you will receive a response within fifteen working days, setting out the result of his investigation and the action that will be taken. If the investigation is likely to exceed fifteen days, we will contact you and tell you when we expect a response will be available.

   • 2.11.If you are dissatisfied with the outcome, you should proceed to Stage 3.

     Formal - Stage 3 (not Higher Education courses)

   • 2.12.If your complaint cannot be resolved by the College, you can refer it to:

     Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)

     The Complaints Team

     Education and Skills Funding Agency

     Cheylesmore House

     Quinton Road

     Coventry

     CV1 2WT

     Details of how to make a complaint to ESFA can be found here or e-mail complaints.esfa@education.gov.uk.

   • 2.13.You must contact the ESFA within 3 months of receiving a decision from the College. Students on Higher Education Courses

   • 2.14.Appeals and complaints from students on Higher Education courses should be made formally through this procedure. Where suitable agreement is not reached through internal College process.

     • Higher Education students following University awards may seek resolution from their awarding organisation. Where both procedures are exhausted without suitable agreement, students may ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) to review their case.

     • Higher Education students following Pearson Edexcel awards may ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) to review their case. 2.15.Information on the OIA scheme can be found here.

   • 2.16. In line with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) a Completion of Procedures Letter will be issued for complaints relating to a Pearson Higher National award within 28 days after the College’s internal process has been completed. In relation to complaints escalated to De Montfort University (DMU), the University will assume responsibility for the submission of an OIA Completion of Procedures Letter when its internal processes have been completed. (Higher Education only).

3. Methods of Contact

   • 3.1. You can contact us by telephone on 0116 224 2240

   • 3.2. You can email QualityTeam@leicestercollege.ac.uk

   • 3.3. You can write to the College at Quality Improvement Team, Leicester College, Freemen’s Park Campus, Welford Road, Leicester LE2 7LW.

   • 3.4. You can use the on-line Comments and Feedback form on the College website at www.leicestercollege.ac.uk. The form can be found under the Contact Us, Comments and Feedback heading.

   • 3.5. Students can make a complaint or provide compliments by accessing ‘Your Views’ through the home page of Moodle.

4. Privacy Notice

   • 4.1. At Leicester College we use certain details about you to provide information and services about the College. We take our responsibility for looking after information seriously. We hold your record of a complaint in line with our Records Retention Policy, after which time all records are deleted. For further details about how we ensure the safe storage, use and deletion of your data, please click here.

   • 4.2. If you make a complaint as a parent/carer of a student that is under 18 when they started their course, and the student has opted out of parental/carer contact, we will ask that the student sends us permission to discuss the complaint with you. Students can opt back into parental consent at any time by contacting Student Services. For further information on opting out please click here.

Privacy notice last updated 24/07/2023