Two board papers summarising the Complaints & Concerns Register for the governing body: a light termly summary tabled every term, and a deeper annual review once a year.
Two reports, two jobs. A light Termly Complaints Summary goes to the governing body every term: a monitoring snapshot that gives the board a standing assurance touchpoint and a challenge question for the Headteacher. A deeper Annual Complaints Review goes once a year: the full analysis of what the school heard, what it changed, and what is different from last year.
This artefact is part of the Culture of Resolution pack. The thinking is in The Guide; the input data lives in the Complaints & Concerns Register; the board questions sit in the Scrutiny Checklist.
Where this fits. Both reports belong at Stage 3 onwards of the four-stage adoption model, where the board engages with complaints work formally. Stage 1 schools stand the Register up first; Stage 2 schools run an internal SLT review before tabling anything at board. The termly summary is deliberately light so it does not add to Headteacher workload; the deep work is annual. See the stages on the pack page.
| This term | Concerns in | Complaints in | Resolved | Still open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | [N] | [N] | [N] | [N] |
| Previous term | [N] | [N] | [N] | [N] |
One line on direction of travel: up, down, or steady on last term.
| Informal | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Escalated |
|---|---|---|---|
| [N] | [N] | [N] | [N] |
Most concerns resolve at informal. A rising Stage 1 / Stage 2 count is the signal worth a board question.
Drawn from the register's theme tags. Two or three is plenty. If nothing recurred, say "no recurring themes this term".
| Theme | Count this term | Seen before? |
|---|---|---|
| [tag] | [N] | [New / repeat] |
| [tag] | [N] | [New / repeat] |
The point of the termly summary. One or two sentences per theme: what the school is doing about it. This is what the board scrutinises and challenges. It is the answer to "what are we doing to resolve these?"
Anything the board needs to know now: a case marked serial this term, a Stage 2 escalation, an emerging issue. Usually one line or "nothing to flag this term".
And once a year, the deep review. The termly summary keeps the board close to the data through the year. The Annual Complaints Review below is the deeper look: the full themes-and-trends analysis, what the school changed in policy and process, and what is different from last year. Run it once per academic year alongside the final termly summary.
This year: [N] entries (Concerns: [N] / Complaints: [N])
| Period | Concerns | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Escalated | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This year | [N] | [N] | [N] | [N] | [N] |
| Previous year | [N] | [N] | [N] | [N] | [N] |
Brief commentary, two sentences maximum, on any unusual movement.
| Subject category | This year | Previous year |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | [N] | [N] |
| Behaviour | [N] | [N] |
| Staff conduct | [N] | [N] |
| SEND | [N] | [N] |
| Safeguarding adjacent | [N] | [N] |
| Communication | [N] | [N] |
| Facilities | [N] | [N] |
| Other | [N] | [N] |
| Total | [N] | [N] |
One paragraph identifying the largest category and the largest movement.
Drawn from the theme tags in the register. For each theme, the board reads:
Themes that have appeared across multiple terms this year, or carried over from last year.
| Theme | Terms appearing | Action to date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Theme] | [Terms] | [Action] | [Status] |
| [Theme] | [Terms] | [Action] | [Status] |
A repeat theme without an action item is a flag for the board.
| Stage | Average resolution time this year | Previous year |
|---|---|---|
| Informal | [Days] | [Days] |
| Stage 1 | [Days] | [Days] |
| Stage 2 | [Days] | [Days] |
DfE best practice timeframes: Stage 1 acknowledged within 5 working days, response within 15 working days; Stage 2 panel hearing within 20 working days. Deviations from those, if any, are noted with reason.
| Period | Total raised | Reached Stage 2 or beyond | Escalation rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| This year | [N] | [N] | [%] |
| Previous year | [N] | [N] | [%] |
Two sentences explaining any change in escalation rate year-on-year.
| Status | Count |
|---|---|
| Closed this year | [N] |
| Carried forward (still open) | [N] |
Carried-forward cases over 30 working days old are listed by reference number only (not names) for the board's awareness.
The accountability section. The board reads this to scrutinise whether the school is learning from the register, not only filing from it.
| Theme | Action | Owner | Target date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Theme] | [Action] | [Owner] | [Date] | [Status] |
| [Theme] | [Action] | [Owner] | [Date] | [Status] |
| [Theme] | [Action] | [Owner] | [Date] | [Status] |
Status options: Not started, In progress, Complete, Carried forward.
| Ref | Reason for serial-marking | Date marked | Board informed | Review date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Ref] | [Reason] | [Date] | [Y/N] | [Date] |
Where any case is marked serial under the DfE model policy for managing serial and unreasonable complaints, the board is informed at the next meeting. The decision sits with the Headteacher in line with the published policy.
| Item | Last reviewed | Next due |
|---|---|---|
| Published complaints procedure | [Date] | [Date] |
| Serial and unreasonable complaints policy | [Date] | [Date] |
| Complaints and Concerns Register fields | [Date] | [Date] |
DfE recommended cadence: complaints procedure reviewed every 2 to 3 years.
Up to half a page. The Headteacher's reflection on the year: what stakeholders raised, what the school changed in policy and process in response, and what is different from last year. Honest, not defensive. This is the heart of the annual review and the answer to "are we learning?"
From the Governing Body Scrutiny Checklist. Reproduced here as a prompt for the Chair. The Clerk records the board's questions and responses in the minutes against the standing agenda item.
