Complaints about educational establishments

How to make a complaint about an educational establishment.

Complaints about a school

If you have a complaint about your child's school you should try to resolve it with discussions with school staff. This gives the school an opportunity to address and resolve your concerns informally.

If you are still unhappy, you should follow the normal complaints process.

If your child is on the SEN register or has an EHCP

You can find legal information and support on the IPSEA website.

Complaints for young people aged 16 to 25 with SEND in education

Find complaints guidance on GOV.UK.

Support with concerns or complaints

If you need support, help with sharing your concerns with the school, or making a complaint, contact West Sussex SENDIAS (SEND Information, advice and Support) service.

Local Government Ombudsman and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO)

In some cases, the LGSCO can look into the way a child's school has dealt with their special educational needs. This is not the case for academies, who operate separately to local authorities.

Find out more on the LGSCO website.