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| Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Education Al-Taif International School |
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Complaints Policy
Al-Taif International School is committed to providing the best possible education through procedures that aim at resolving all complaints and grievances as quickly as possible.
This policy has been developed to address any complaints against any aspect of the school, the provision of facilities or services, or against an individual staff member or the school as a whole. Its goal is to make sure that the school's complaints procedure is easy to understand, fair, and non-adversarial, that it allows for a thorough and fair investigation, that it protects privacy, and that it gives a good answer and makes things right.
Anybody, even a regular person, has the right to protest about the amenities or services the school offers. The process that the complainant and the school must go through is outlined in this policy.
A complaint may be addressed or withdrawn at any time after it has been submitted. When using the complaints system, the principal will be the initial point of contact.
A (complaint) can be defined for the purposes of this policy as an expression of dissatisfaction with the activities taken or a perceived lack of action taken. Depending on the complainant's wish, complaints may be settled formally through this process or informally.
A (concern) refers to a need for reassurance and an expression of anxiety or mistrust.
Whether formal or informal, any complaint or concern must be treated seriously, and the proper procedures will be followed. Concerns will be handled the same way as complaints for the purposes of this policy.
The following are examples of "unreasonable complaints" for the purposes of this policy:
Frivolous complaints.
Complaints that are repeated, prolific, obsessive, relentless, and bothersome.
The complaints are intended to annoy or cause disruption.
Redress requests that are baseless or have no real value.
Repeated complaints.
Repeated complaints that the same complainant sends after the first one has been resolved.
Demanding inappropriate action be taken in response to valid complaints.
Demand unreasonable results and/or unjustified complaints above everything else.
Identical complaints made by the complainant's family members are considered "duplicate complaints" for the purposes of this policy; in these cases, the complaint will not be taken up again, and the person submitting the second complaint will get a notification that the issue has already been resolved locally.
Responsibilities and roles:
Work cooperatively with the school to find a resolution to the concern.
As soon as you have the chance, fully express the issue and your concerns.
Quickly react to any requests for meetings or information.
Request assistance as necessary.
Show respect to all parties engaged in the complaint.
Make sure that everyone involved in the complaint is kept in the loop at all times during the process.
Assure that everyone involved in the process is aware of any applicable laws.
Maintain current records at all times; these records will be preserved safely on the school's ICT system.
Keep in touch with all people involved to guarantee a smooth complaint process.
Make sure that if the complainant is not satisfied with the response, they are given the option to escalate the matter to the next stage and are given the chance to complete the complaints procedure completely.
Recognize the risks associated with disclosing information to third parties.
Recognize that the complainant may need extra help, such as help with translating, and be on the lookout for any problems in this area.
The investigator's responsibilities include:
Conducting a careful and in-depth interview with the complainant to determine what happened and who was involved.
Taking into account all documentation, proof, and other details offered.
Interviewing the personnel and students who are also parties to the complaint.
Thorough and impartial analysis of all available data.
Communicating with the complainant and the complaints coordinator to determine the best way to solve the issue.
Finding and suggesting potential answers and lines of action.
Being aware of deadlines and making sure everyone involved is aware of them.
Giving the complainant a concise and understandable response.
The panel chair will:
Ensure that all hearings are recorded in minutes.
Inform the complainant of the panel's mandate.
Ensure that every issue is handled and that decisions are made in light of facts and evidence.
Help people who are nervous to speak during these hearings calm down and comfort them, especially if there are students there.
Hold the hearing in a relaxed setting and make sure that everyone is treated politely and with respect.
Verify that no panel member has any outside interests in how the proceedings turn out or has previously participated in the earlier phases of the procedure.
Let the person who filed the complaint and the school say what they think and ask for clarification without being
interrupted too much.
Distribute copies of any written materials or supporting documentation to all meeting participants, ensuring that everyone has access to the pertinent information without violating confidentiality or anyone's right to privacy.
Assist in providing the necessary support when the complainant is a minor.
Each panel member will be aware that the hearing is impartial and independent.
No one who has previously been involved in the complaint or the events surrounding it is allowed to sit on the
panel.
The panel's ultimate goal is to bring the parties together in reconciliation through a fair resolution.
It may only be feasible to establish facts and provide recommendations to persuade the complainant that their complaint has been treated seriously. Reconciliation between the school and the complainant is not always possible. The panel has the following options:
Decide on the proper course of action;
Reject or partially uphold the complaint.
Suggest adjustments the school can make to stop the issue from recurring.
Complainants might feel uncomfortable or scared in a formal setting, so the procedure should be as friendly as possible.
When a child is at the hearing, extra care must be taken to keep the child from being scared and to make sure that the child's point of view is also heard.
Filing a complaint:
Parents of enrolled students are not the only ones who may do so. The school will take all complaints. The school will make sure the complaints process is:
Simple to use.
Easy to comprehend and put into action.
Fairness and objectivity to all sides.
Respectful of confidentiality obligations; ongoing improvement; a fair investigation
Used to handle all problems and, when necessary, offer suitable and efficient solutions.
As soon as an incident occurs, a complaint should be filed in order to get it resolved in a timely manner.
No matter how they are submitted—in person, over the phone, by email, or through a third party—all complaints will be taken into account.
If a complaint is made about a member of staff, it will be taken care of first by the school's principal and then by a committee.
Anonymous concerns are typically not looked into. The principal will, nonetheless, decide if an investigation into the complaint is necessary.
If the complainant wants to drop their complaint, the school will ask them to confirm their choice in writing or by email.
Handling unreasonable complaints:
The school is dedicated to handling all complaints in a fair and unbiased manner and offering individuals who complain a high-quality service. However, the school will take action to safeguard its staff from improper behavior, including that which is abusive, rude, or threatening, and the staff is not expected to put up with it.
The complaint is viewed as unreasonable when the complainant:
Despite offers of assistance, refuses to express their concern or specify the basis of a complaint or the outcomes desired.
Refuses to assist in the investigation of their complaint while still wanting it to be resolved.
Refuses to acknowledge that some matters are outside the purview of a complaints procedure.
Demands that the complaint be handled in a manner that is inconsistent with the accepted complaints procedure or with best practices.
Presents inconsequential or trivial facts that the complainant expects to be considered and remarked upon; or poses a large number of specific but unimportant inquiries and demands that they be completely addressed, frequently right away and according to their timetables.
Makes unfounded accusations about employees who are attempting to resolve problems and tries to get them replaced.
Modifies the complaints' original foundation as the investigation goes on.
Makes the same complaint repeatedly (despite previous investigations or responses concluding that the complaint is groundless or has been addressed).
Refuses to accept the investigation's results in cases where the school's complaints system has been fully and correctly followed.
Strives for an impossible result.
Makes an excessive demand on staff time by engaging in frequent, drawn-out, difficult, and stressful interactions with them in person, in writing, via email, and over the phone, while the complaint is being handled.
Another condition when a complaint may be deemed unreasonable is when it is made verbally, over the phone, in writing, or electronically:
aggressively or maliciously.
Making use of violence or threats.
Using derogatory, offensive, or biased language. Realizing it to be untrue.
Making use of false information.
By disseminating offensive information through a variety of channels, including websites, newspapers, and social media.
