PROFESSIONAL STUDENTS

Student Grievance and Complaints Procedure

Most of our students find their time at Leiths extremely enjoyable and fulfilling. However, when there are problems, please follow the procedure set out below. It is Leiths policy to respond to any complaints as quickly as possible and to make studying and working conditions fair for staff and students alike. The office operates an open door policy and help can be sought at any time.

Most grievances can be resolved quickly and informally through discussion with your Class Tutor. Concerns about course structure, content, equipment or facilities can alternatively be discussed at the student rep meetings.

Step 1: Written Grievance

If discussion with your Class Tutor or within a student rep meeting does not resolve the problem, you should put your grievance in writing and submit it to your Class Tutor, or, if the grievance involves the Class Tutor, to the Principal. The written grievance should set out the nature of the complaint, including any relevant facts, dates and names of individuals involved so we can fully investigate it.

Step 2: Meeting

We will arrange a grievance meeting, normally within one week of receipt of your written grievance.

If you cannot attend at the time specified you should let us know as soon as possible and we will try, within reason, to agree an alternative time.

We may adjourn the meeting if we need to carry out further investigations. We will write to you within one week of the meeting to confirm our decision and notify you of any action we intend to take. We will advise you of your right to appeal.

Step 3: Appeal

If the grievance has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you may appeal to the Managing Director stating your full grounds of appeal within one week of the date on which the decision was sent or given to you.

We will hold an appeal meeting, normally within two weeks of receiving the appeal. This will be dealt with by someone senior within Leiths who has not previously been involved in the matter or an external adjudicator. We will confirm our decision in writing, usually within one week of hearing the appeal. There is no further right of appeal.

Process for a Student Appealing against a Grade Decision.

Appeals should be lodged within one month of receiving a grade

1. If a student is unhappy with the grade they have been assigned they should first contact their Class Tutor for more detail on why their grade was assigned.

2. If the explanation is not satisfactory they should write to the Principal and request their marks be reviewed.

3. The Principal will request all paperwork from theory assessment/practical assessment/continual assessment as relevant.

4. The Principal will question teaching staff as necessary to ensure marking was consistent within the cohort and the mark was fair.

5. The Principal’s decision is final.

Student Disciplinary Policy

It is our policy at Leiths to ensure that any disciplinary matter is dealt with fairly and that steps are taken to establish the facts and give students the opportunity to respond before taking any formal action.

Minor concerns can often be resolved informally with the student’s Class Tutor. These discussions will usually be held in private and where appropriate a note may be made on the student’s ILP (Individual Learning Plan) but will be ignored for the purpose of any future disciplinary hearings.

Step 1: Investigation

The amount of investigation will depend on the nature of the allegations.

Step 2: Hearing

Following an investigation, if the School considers there are grounds for disciplinary action, the student will be asked to attend a hearing. The School will inform the student in writing of the allegations against them, the basis of the allegations and the likely range of consequences if the allegations are found to be true. Notice of the date, time and place of the hearing will be given.

Exclusion Steps:
1. A verbal warning will be given which is recorded on the student’s individual learning plan (ILP). This is usually appropriate for a first act of misconduct.
2. A written warning by letter, email or on the ILP including the consequences of continuing with inappropriate behaviour. This is usually appropriate for misconduct where there is already an active warning notice on the student’s record or where the School considers the misconduct sufficiently serious to warrant a written warning.
3. A written notice of suspension, exclusion from the end of term assessment or immediate exclusion. This is usually appropriate for further misconduct where there is a written warning on the student’s record or any gross misconduct regardless of whether there are active warnings on the student’s record.
4. The student may appeal in writing to the Managing Director within 5 days of the date of notice of exclusion.

Gross Misconduct

• Being drunk on School premises

• Being in possession of or taking illegal drugs on School premises

• Bullying another student

• Theft, including plagiarism

• Criminal conduct

• Deliberate breaches of Leiths Health and Safety or Food Safety policies

• Serious disruptive behaviour that prevents other students learning safely or effectively – for example where a teacher needs to stop or evacuate a class in order to address the situation caused by a student.

Step 3: Appeal Process

If a student feels that disciplinary action is wrong or unjust they should appeal in writing within 5 days of the date of the exclusion notice, stating their full grounds of appeal.

The School will give the student written notice of the date, time and place of the appeal hearing. This may be a complete re-hearing of the matter or a review of the fairness of the original decision in light of the procedure that was followed and any new information which may have come to light. This will be at the discretion of the School.

Where possible the appeal will be heard by a senior member of staff who has not previously been involved in the matter or an external adjudicator. The School may adjourn the appeal hearing in light of any new points the student raises at the hearing. The student will be given a reasonable opportunity to consider any new information raised before the hearing is reconvened.

Following the appeal hearing, the School may:

(a) Confirm the original decision;

(b) Revoke the original decision;

(c) Substitute a different penalty.

The School will inform the student in writing of its final decision as soon as possible, usually within one week of the appeal hearing. Where possible this will also be explained in person. There will be no further right of appeal.

Procedure for unacceptable level of absence:

1. The Class Tutor will notify the student and the Head teacher/Principal when attendance becomes a concern. They will follow up conversations regarding absence with an email.

2. The student will be notified in writing that they are at risk of exceeding their allowed limit/at risk of not passing the continual assessment element of the course/at risk of not being eligible to take the final assessment/they are not entitled to a retake (Diploma courses only). The school may also contact the fee payer by telephone or in writing if that is a different person to the student.

3. If the student exceeds the limit of absences in a term (5 days), they will not be entitled to take the end of term assessments or examinations. They will not be eligible for a certificate of attendance. In compassionate situations only Leiths will prepare a document detailing what the student has covered and the level they have achieved or the Principal may at her discretion permit a student to get additional coaching at their own expense, to cover specific skills to enable them to take the final exam.

4. In some compassionate situations, where not enough skills have been covered for a Certificate of Attendance to be awarded, Leiths may award a Certificate of Attendance with notes of skills not covered.

5. If a student wishes to appeal against the Principal’s decision, they should request in writing a meeting with the Managing Director whose decision will be final.

Procedure where a student is not progressing fast enough to achieve the target qualification:

1. The Class Tutor will notify the student and the Head Teacher/Principal of their concerns.

2. The Head teacher and Class Tutor will formulate a plan to aid the student’s learning which they will then discuss with the student. They may request information regarding any existing or potential learning difficulties the student may have, to aid their planning. The Class Tutor may also begin a dialogue with the fee payer (when not the same person as the student) to explore any potential support which can be given to the student, where appropriate.

3. The Class Tutor will then implement the plan, reporting back to the student and the Principal at regular intervals, making more changes as necessary. The Class Tutor will also contact the fee payer if this is a different person to the student.

4. In some situations additional private coaching at the student’s expense can be suggested.

5. If the student fails to meet their targets, taking a lesser exam at the end of the Diploma will be discussed both with the student and the fee payer if this is a different person to the student.

6. In situations where a student’s performance in class is detrimental to the rest of the class, they may be asked to leave the course. If a student is unhappy with the Principal’s decision, they should request in writing a meeting with the Managing Director whose decision will be final.

SHORT COURSE STUDENTS

Student Grievance and Complaints Procedure

Most grievances can be resolved quickly and informally – there is an open door policy in the school office.

Step 1: Written Grievance

If informal discussion does not resolve the problem, you should put your grievance in writing and submit it to the Principal. The written grievance should set out the nature of the complaint, including any relevant facts, dates and names of individuals involved so we can fully investigate it.

Step 2: Meeting

We will arrange a grievance meeting, normally within one week of receipt of your written grievance.

If you cannot attend at the time specified you should let us know as soon as possible and we will try, within reason, to agree an alternative time.

We may adjourn the meeting if we need to carry out further investigations. We will write to you within one week of the meeting to confirm our decision and notify you of any action we intend to take. We will advise you of your right to appeal.

Step 3: Appeal

If the grievance has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you may appeal to the Managing Director stating your full grounds of appeal within one week of the date on which the decision was sent or given to you.

We will hold an appeal meeting, normally within two weeks of receiving the appeal. This will be dealt with by someone senior within Leiths who has not previously been involved in the matter or an external adjudicator. We will confirm our decision in writing, usually within one week of hearing the appeal. There is no further right of appeal.