SCUOLA BRITANNICA DI MARKETING INTERNAZIONALE

Complaints Procedures

Introduction

Scuola Britannica di Marketing Internazionale is dedicated to delivering quality teaching and welfare support to all BSMI students. As each one of our student’s experiences is very important for our growth process, we take every complaint very seriously to improve the quality of teaching and welfare support to improve the total quality experience of our students at BSMI. This means having a clear, fair, and efficient system for dealing with any complaints from parents of registered students, host families or general complaints against the school, so that any issues that arise can be dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible.
All school staff are made aware of complaints’ procedures and are expected to review this document regularly so that they fully understand our way of dealing with complaints and can give the best assistance when an issue is brought to their attention.
This document explains that process, and the steps that it outlines should be referred to and followed by all students and their parents whenever an issue arises that gives them concern. We will explain to you any new time limits or deadlines in this process that may need changing.

This document does not apply to complaints about:

• Appeals relating to internal assessment decisions for external qualifications
• Disciplinary issues relating to members of staff
• Disciplinary issues relating to registered students

Each of the above follows its own process of complaints and appeals, which are outlined in their relevant policies.

If your complaint is about a member of staff, you should first write about your concern to the person, and a meeting can be arranged with the Managing Director /Director of Studies to discuss the issue.

If your complaint is about a teacher, you should write about your concern to the Managing Director using the stages below.

If your complaint is about the Managing Director, then you should refer to the following stages:

Please note: Any complaints regarding staff can be made to Miss Duygu Cevik (Managing Director) at the following email address: duygu@britishschoolofmarketing.com

There is no suggested timescale for solving the issue at this stage as it is important to give time to discuss the details of the issue with those who are involved. Normally, most issues would be solved within 10 days.

When an issue or concern first arises

Stage 1: Initial informal meeting

If you have a concern that you would like to report to the school, you should firstly tell a member of staff either in person, by telephone or in writing. Your concern will be dealt with objectively. You may then be asked to come to an informal meeting with the member of staff most suitable for dealing with your concern.

Those people who are involved in the situation will be listened to objectively before any action is taken. The complaint will be recorded and an action plan will be shared with the concerned individual(s).

All parties who are involved will be also be told of the action plan and the expected outcome. If the concerned individual is not happy with the outcome and needs further action, their feedback will be recorded. The recorded feedback will be shared with the Managing Director for further action.

We encourage parents to approach staff with any concerns they may have and aim to resolve all issues with open dialogue and mutual understanding.

Stage 2: Formal complaints

Occasionally, however, a concern will be too serious to be handled in this way, perhaps needing greater investigation or because the person concerned may not feel that the answers given so far have been acceptable or adequate. In such a situation, the concern will become a complaint and the formal procedure below will be followed. Please complete the complaints form available at the following link:  https://britishschoolofmarketing.com/hub/files/complaint_form.pdf

If you do not feel that your concern has been dealt with as you would like, are unhappy with the outcome of your informal meeting or feel that the issue is serious enough to be taken further, you can make a formal complaint in writing to the Managing Director or complete the complaints form. Your written complaint should provide enough detail of the issues to allow the Managing Director to investigate and respond to the complaint. You should also set out how you feel the complaint should be solved.

We will make sure your complaint is recorded and managed and any necessary action taken. In case the issue is not resolved by BSMI, students can escalate it to the Independent Adjudicator (OIA). The independent Adjudicator for BSMI is the head of RALSA, David Jones who can be contacted via the following email: david.jones@ralsa.co.uk

Please note: Please see the attached stage 2 complaint form to be completed and sent to Miss Duygu Cevik (Managing Director) at the following email address: duygu@britishschoolofmarketing.com

The Managing Director should respond to your complaint in writing within 10 working days. They will outline their decision, if there is one to be made, and any action to be taken as a result of your complaint. If they have decided not to take any further action on the issue, they will explain what they have decided, how they have reached this decision, and will outline your right to take the matter further and the steps to be taken. A record of all interactions with you and other staff, meetings and decisions made in reference to your complaint. If you are not happy about the outcome of your complaint, you should raise the issue with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. You can find all the relevant information about how to make a complaint at the following link: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviewing-higher-education/how-to-make-a-complaint. You can only make a complaint if your concern is related to one of the following areas:

• Academic appeals
• Struttura ricettiva
• Bullying and harassment
• Disciplinary matters (including plagiarism)
• Discrimination*
• Extenuating circumstances
• Fitness to practise processes
• Placements
• Procedural irregularities
• Research supervision
• Teaching provision and facilities
• Unfair practices
• Welfare

If the complaint is against a member of staff, the Managing Director will talk to that employee. If it is an allegation of abuse, the school or external child welfare authorities to which the school reports may start a formal investigation. Please refer to our safeguarding policy for an outline of this procedure.

If the individual would rather discuss any serious personal matters with an independent body and/or in their chosen language BSMI recommends calling Child Line on 0800 1111 or your own country’s embassy. We can give you these contact details, if you ask for them.

Records, review and monitoring of complaints

The school will record the progress of all complaints, including information about actions taken at all stages, the stage at which the complaint was resolved, and the final outcome. The records will also include copies of letters and emails, and notes relating to meetings and phone calls. This material will be treated as confidential and held centrally and will be viewed only by those involved in investigating the complaint.

Records of complaints will be kept securely, only for as long as necessary and in line with data protection law.

British School of Marketing International will review and evaluate all complaints no matter how far they are taken or what the outcome to ensure that similar problems are avoided in the future or to see if they could have been managed any more effectively. All records of any complaints will be kept confidential but may be inspected where appropriate by any inspection body.

Staff complaints

Staff who have a concern about a colleague or a volunteer member of staff should refer to our whistleblowing section in the BSMI safeguarding Policy.

The procedure for dealing with any other staff complaints or employment grievances is set out in the school’s staff discipline, conduct and grievance policy. These policies can be found in the staff handbook.

UNREASONABLE AND REPETITIVE COMPLAINTS:

BSMI will do its best to resolve all complaints as soon as possible. This Complaints Procedure is in place to allow concerns to be heard and fully investigated and ensure that a clear response is given. If someone repeatedly contacts the school about the same complaint and the school feels that the matter has been adequately solved, the Managing Director will write to them explaining that process has finished, the matter is now closed and that there will be no further communication on this subject. This decision will never be taken lightly.

A complaint may be seen as unreasonable when the complainant:

• refuses to explain their complaint or state the grounds of a complaint or the outcomes they would like, even after offers of help
• refuses to co-operate with the complaints’ investigation process
• refuses to accept that certain issues are not part of a complaints procedure
• insists on the complaint being dealt with in ways which are not part of the school procedure or of good practice
• introduces minor or unrelated information which the complainant expects to be considered and commented on
• raises large numbers of detailed but unimportant questions, and insists they are fully answered, often immediately and to their own timescales
• makes unjustified complaints about staff who are trying to deal with the issues, and seeks to have them replaced
• changes the basis of the complaint as the investigation proceeds
• repeatedly makes the same complaint (even when earlier investigations or answers have concluded that the complaint is groundless or has been addressed)
• refuses to accept the findings of the investigation into that complaint where the school’s complaint procedure has been fully and properly implemented and completed including referral to the Department for Education
• seeks an unrealistic outcome
• makes excessive demands on school time by requesting lengthy, complicated and stressful contact with staff regarding the complaint in person, in writing, by email and by telephone while the complaint is being dealt with

A complaint may also be considered unreasonable if the person making the complaint does any of the following either face-to-face, by telephone, in writing or electronically:

• Maliciously
• Aggressively
• Using threats, intimidation or violence
• Using abusive, offensive or discriminatory language
• Knowing it to be false or using falsified information
• Publishing unacceptable information e.g. in social media, websites and newspapers

The Managing Director will inform a complainant if because of any of the above conditions the school considers the complaint to be unreasonable. If the behaviour continues, this will be confirmed in writing, explaining that the complainant’s behaviour is unreasonable and asking them to change it. For complainants who excessively contact British School of Marketing International, causing a significant level of disruption, we may use specific methods of communication and limit the number of contacts in a communication plan. This will usually be reviewed after 6 months.

In response to any serious incident of aggression or violence, the concerns and action taken will be put in writing immediately and the police informed. This may include banning an individual from The British School of Marketing International premises. This decision will also be reviewed after 6 months.

Contact details

If your complaint is regarding student accommodation please contact the Welfare Officer Duygu Cevik duygu@britishschoolofmarketing.com or call us on the following number:
01202 068 135.

If your concern is regarding the health and welfare of the student please contact the Welfare Officer: Duygu Cevik duygu@britishschoolofmarketing.com or call us on the following number:
01202 068 135.

If your concern is regarding the English academic progression of the student please contact the Director of Studies: Peter Hull at peter@britishschoolofmarketing.com or call us on the following number: 01202 068 135.

If your concern is regarding the University pathways academic progression of the student please contact the Managing Director: Duygu Cevik at duygu@britishschoolofmarketing.com or call us on the following number: 01202 068 135.

For any other problems or in the absence of any of the above, please contact the Managing Director: Duygu Cevik at duygu@britishschoolofmarketing.com or call us on the following number: 01202 068 135.

Please follow the link below for our safeguarding policy:

Safeguarding policy