1.Purpose and scope
Questo documento contiene le procedure di reclamo degli studenti.
The scope of the procedures is restricted to complaints in respect of the students’ experience at LIA, including services and facilities provided.
2.Principles
2.1 Students may ask for information, advice and help in making a complaint from anyone they wish. At any stage, the student has a right to be accompanied/represented by another person who may speak on the student’s behalf if s/he requires it.
2.2 LIA welcomes comments and suggestions from students as to how the School might enhance its effectiveness and/or improve its service. Students are encouraged to give suggestions.
2.3 The School recognises that from time to time students may have complaints about facilities or services they receive from its staff.
2.4 These procedures aim to provide a simple and comprehensible means by which students may raise comments, suggestions and complaints with appropriate staff.
2.5 The School will ensure that the service and care provided to any student making a comment, suggestion or complaint will not suffer in any way as a result of the action taken, but the School expects that students will not engage in frivolous or vexatious complaints.
2.6 The School will maintain the confidentiality of comments, suggestions and complaints as far as possible. However, the service provider should normally be informed that a complaint has been made and that it is being investigated.
2.7 The above paragraph does not in any way prejudice existing procedures for dealing with staff disciplinary matters.
3.Complaints Procedure
3.1. Informal Stage (refer to 2.1 above):
It is hoped that many problems will normally be dealt with informally, in a spirit of conciliation without the need for recourse to a formal procedure. As a first step, a student who is unhappy with the service he/she has received, should try to resolve the matter with his/her teacher or with the Director of Study/Academic Manager or with the Activity Leaders / Activity Manager & Welfare Officer/ Centre Manager. In many cases, that person can best respond to the complaint. However, if the response to the informal complaint is unsatisfactory the student has the right to use the formal complaints procedure set out below. A student should only use this formal complaints procedure if he/she considers that the complaint is too serious to be dealt with informally or is dissatisfied with the results of informal discussions.
3.2. School Stage:
If the student wishes to make a formal complaint under these procedures, they must raise the complaint with the Centre Manager who will give them a complaint form to fill out.
Written complaints involving the Centre Manager should be sent to the Language in Action Head Office, directly via email or completed on the Language in Action complaints form available in the centre.
The Centre Manager will normally respond in person to the student’s letter within 48 hours. If the Centre Manager thinks that the complaint needs further investigation, they will explain to the student (or their agent) how the complaint will be processed. The complaint will be investigated fully (normally this will also involve an invitation for the student to discuss the complaint in person) and the student will normally receive a written response within 5 days.
Se lo studente è soddisfatto della risposta ricevuta e non desidera approfondire il reclamo, le informazioni ottenute dal reclamo saranno utilizzate per migliorare il servizio fornito dalla Scuola.
3.3. Appeals
If the complaint is not resolved within 5 days or is unsatisfactory to the student, the student should refer the complaint to the Language in Action Head Office.
The Head Office will investigate the complaint (normally this will involve an invitation for the student to discuss the complaint in person with themselves or a person they have nominated) and the student will normally receive a written response within 3 working days.
Se lo studente è soddisfatto della risposta ricevuta e non desidera approfondire il reclamo, le informazioni ottenute dal reclamo saranno utilizzate per migliorare il servizio fornito dalla Scuola.
If the student is not satisfied with the response the Directors will convene a meeting of a Complaints Committee. Prior to the meeting the aggrieved student will be informed of the right to be represented at the hearing.
3.3.1 Composition of the Complaints Committee
Nessun membro del Comitato per i reclami deve avere avuto precedenti rapporti con il caso. Il Comitato per i reclami sarà composto da:
- Il denunciante
- One Member of Board of Directors, or, the Director or Operations Manager or Academic Manager, or the HR Manager (as appropriate)
- Un rappresentante degli studenti
- Un insegnante
3.3.2 Terms of Reference for Appeals
I termini di riferimento del Comitato per i reclami sono:
- To consider a student’s complaints in respect of her/his experience at the School, including services and facilities provided by Schools or any support departments.
- To report its decisions to the Board of Directors and Student Representatives where appropriate.
3.4. Final appeals
Se lo studente non è soddisfatto dei risultati della fase di appello, è incoraggiato a contattare gli enti di accreditamento della scuola:
- The British Council: British Council Customer Service UK, Bridgewater House, 58 Whitworth Street, Manchester, M1 6BB
- The Independent Schools Inspectorate: C A P House, 9-12 Long Ln, London EC1A 9HA
APPENDIX: PROTOCOL FOR MEETINGS OF A COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE
- Il presidente conferma alle parti la natura del reclamo.
- Il presidente chiederà allo studente danneggiato (o al suo rappresentante) di presentare il proprio caso a sostegno del reclamo e di introdurre eventuali testimoni a sostegno del reclamo.
- Il Comitato può porre domande, tramite il presidente, allo studente e/o al rappresentante e/o ai suoi testimoni in qualsiasi momento.
Il presidente chiederà alla persona contro cui è stato sollevato il reclamo di rispondere al reclamo e di presentare eventuali testimoni a sostegno della risposta.
Il Comitato può porre domande, tramite il Presidente, alla persona contro cui è stato sollevato il reclamo e ai suoi testimoni in qualsiasi momento.
Il presidente chiederà allo studente (o al suo rappresentante) che ha presentato il reclamo di riassumere il suo caso.
Il presidente chiederà alla persona contro cui è stato sollevato il reclamo di riassumere il suo caso.
Le parti saranno invitate a lasciare la riunione e il Comitato prenderà in considerazione le prove ascoltate; a questo punto potrà decidere di riconvocare l'audizione in una data successiva per ottenere ulteriori prove o consulenze da altre parti. In tal caso, tutte le parti saranno invitate a partecipare alla nuova riunione.
The Chair will announce the Committee’s decision, either by calling the parties together or in writing. The outcome of the hearing will be confirmed in writing within five working days.