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1. Purpose

Squid Academy is committed to providing high-quality educational services and maintaining a fair, transparent, and responsive process for handling complaints, concerns, and grievances. This Grievance Redressal Procedure establishes a formal mechanism through which learners, parents, guardians, educational partners, employees, and other stakeholders may raise concerns and seek resolution. Squid Academy aims to resolve grievances promptly, fairly, and consistently.

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2. Scope

This procedure applies to grievances relating to:

• Educational services
• Teaching and learning activities
• Assessments
• Student conduct
• Staff conduct
• Customer service
• Data protection and privacy
• Safeguarding concerns
• Platform access and technical issues
• School partnership activities
• Administrative matters

This procedure does not replace emergency safeguarding or legal reporting requirements.

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3. Principles

All grievances will be handled in accordance with the following principles:

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Fairness

All parties will be treated respectfully and impartially.

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Transparency

Processes and decisions will be clearly communicated.

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Confidentiality

Information will be shared only with those who require access to investigate or resolve the matter.

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Timeliness

The Academy will seek to resolve grievances without unnecessary delay.

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Accessibility

The procedure will be available to learners, parents, staff, and partners.

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4. Who May Submit a Grievance

Grievances may be submitted by:

• Learners
• Students
• Parents or guardians
• Schools
• Educational institutions
• Employees
• Contractors
• Tutors and lecturers
• Business partners
• Members of the public affected by Academy services

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5. Types of Grievances

Examples include:

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Academic Concerns

• Assessment disputes
• Feedback concerns
• Learning delivery issues

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Operational Concerns

• Platform access issues
• Service quality concerns
• Communication problems

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Staff Conduct Concerns

• Professional behaviour
• Harassment
• Discrimination

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Data Protection Concerns

• Personal data handling
• Privacy requests
• Information security matters

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Safeguarding Concerns

• Child protection concerns
• Online safety issues

Safeguarding concerns may require immediate escalation outside the standard grievance process.

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6. Informal Resolution

Where appropriate, individuals are encouraged to seek an informal resolution first. This may involve:

• Discussing concerns with the relevant tutor or lecturer.
• Contacting the support team.
• Clarifying misunderstandings.
• Seeking administrative assistance.

Many issues can be resolved quickly without requiring a formal investigation.

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7. Formal Grievance Submission

If informal resolution is unsuccessful or inappropriate, a formal grievance may be submitted. A grievance should include:

• Full name
• Contact details
• Description of the concern
• Relevant dates
• Individuals involved
• Supporting evidence (if available)
• Desired outcome

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8. Acknowledgement of Receipt

The Academy will:

• Acknowledge receipt of a grievance within five (5) business days.
• Provide a reference number where appropriate.
• Confirm the next steps in the process.

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9. Investigation Process

The Academy will:

1. Review the grievance.
2. Assess the information provided.
3. Gather relevant evidence.
4. Interview relevant individuals where necessary.
5. Review applicable policies and procedures.
6. Determine an appropriate outcome.

Investigations will be conducted objectively and proportionately.

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10. Resolution Timeframes

The Academy aims to:

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Acknowledge

Within 5 business days.

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Investigate

Within 20 business days where reasonably practicable.

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Respond

Within 30 business days of receiving the grievance. Complex matters may require additional time. Where delays occur, the complainant will be informed.

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11. Possible Outcomes

Outcomes may include:

• Clarification of facts.
• Corrective action.
• Policy improvements.
• Staff guidance or training.
• Service improvements.
• Formal apology where appropriate.
• Referral to another procedure.

Not all grievances will result in the outcome requested by the complainant.

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12. Appeals

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome, they may request a review. Appeals must:

• Be submitted within fourteen (14) days of receiving the decision.
• Explain why the outcome is being challenged.
• Include any new supporting information.

Appeals will be reviewed by an individual not directly involved in the original decision, where reasonably practicable.

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13. Data Protection and Privacy Complaints

Individuals may submit concerns relating to:

• Collection of personal data
• Use of personal data
• Data security
• Data subject rights
• International data transfers

Privacy-related complaints will be managed in accordance with Squid Academy’s privacy policy and data protection procedures.

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14. Safeguarding Concerns

Safeguarding concerns involving children or vulnerable individuals will be prioritized and handled in accordance with the Academy’s Safeguarding Policy. Where necessary, concerns may be referred to:

• Schools
• Parents or guardians
• Law enforcement
• Child protection authorities

Immediate safeguarding concerns may bypass the standard grievance process.

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15. Record Keeping

The Academy will maintain records of:

• Grievances received
• Investigation activities
• Outcomes
• Appeals
• Corrective actions

Records will be retained in accordance with the Data Retention Schedule.

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16. Protection Against Retaliation

Individuals raising concerns in good faith will not be subjected to retaliation, discrimination, harassment, or adverse treatment for doing so. Malicious, knowingly false, or vexatious complaints may be subject to separate review.

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17. Continuous Improvement

Grievance data may be analyzed periodically to identify:

• Recurring issues
• Service improvements
• Training needs
• Policy enhancements

The Academy is committed to continuous improvement based on stakeholder feedback.

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18. Review

This procedure will be reviewed annually or when legal, operational, or regulatory changes occur.