1. Mission Statement

2. Our Core Values

3. Introduction

4. Informal Stage

5. Formal Stage

6. Complaints from Persons external to Super Scientists/Esgate Education

7. Unreasonable Complaints

8. Barring Individuals from associating with Super Scientists/Esgate Education

 

1. Mission Statement

Super Scientists/Esgate Education‘s mission is:

Tailored learning for every unique mind from ages 4-25 years.

 

2. Our Core Values

The following Core Values an illustration of how we believe Super Scientists/Esgate Education needs to be operated in order for it to succeed.

 

3. Introduction

Our approach has always been to develop and maintain a brand in which our customers and the general public can trust.

· A Personal Service

As our mission statement asserts, it has always been our aim to ensure that our customers receive as personal a service as we can offer. We know that our customers very much welcome this approach and that it is one that has only served to enhance our reputation.

· High Quality

We aim to provide a high quality service by recruiting quality tutors, by liaising positively and efficiently with customers and by inspiring staff and tutors to offer a service that is recognised as the best that can be found within our locality.

· Satisfying Demand

We work hard to ensure that the subject range delivered by our tutor cohort can fully satisfy the needs of our customers encompassing standard qualifications and vocational routes and pathways.

· Friendly Enthusiastic Tutors

In as professional a manner as possible, our tutors must demonstrate a passion for their subject, an ability to engage with their students and a desire to ensure that the tuition positively impacts learning.

· Honesty and Integrity

We firmly believe in the importance of having honesty and integrity at the heart of the business. In practice, this means that, when dealing with both our customers and tutors, we will refuse to say or do something that we don't believe is right.

· Trust and Loyalty

It has not been possible to build trust and loyalty with our customers, and tutors, without honesty and integrity as our guiding principles. They serve as the basis of our strength and reputation as a business.

Our complaints procedure is available by request from Super Scientists/Esgate Education directors.

 

4. Informal Stage

In the event of a carer or parent having a complaint against Super Scientists/Esgate Education , a tutor or member of staff, the complainant should contact Kerry Esgate-Green at Super Scientists/Esgate Education by email: kerry@esgateeducation.co.uk or kerry@superscientists.co.uk, 07539478874 with the nature of their complaint.

An attempt to resolve this verbal complaint informally will be made and may include the arrangement of a meeting with the complainant.

A verbal complaint should be responded to as soon as is practical and the above described meeting with the complainant should be arranged within 5 working days of that response. If the complaint is resolved at this stage, no further action is required.

 

5. Formal Stage

In the event of the complainant not being satisfied with the response to the complaint at the informal stage, the complainant should register their wish to have a formal hearing with a Super Scientists/Esgate Education Director within 5 working days of the conclusion of the informal stage.

The Super Scientists/Esgate Education Director will act as the investigating officer and will arrange to meet with the complainant normally within 10 working days. The complainant can be accompanied by a friend or representative, provided that Super Scientists/Esgate Education is notified of the associate in advance of the meeting. The Super Scientists/Esgate Education Director would normally be accompanied by a clerk to take notes. Recordings of meetings will not be allowed. Copies of notes taken by the clerk will be forwarded to the complainant as soon as possible and normally within 5 working days. Where relevant the person complained about also has the right to be heard at a separate meeting and they too can be accompanied, provided Super Scientists/Esgate Education is notified of the associate in advance of that meeting. As the investigating officer, the Super Scientists/Esgate Education Director will carry out any necessary investigation in an attempt to resolve the complaint normally within 10 working days, if at all possible. If the complainant accepts the resolution of complaint at this stage, then no further action will be necessary.

When the investigating office has concluded making their findings and recommendations, a copy of the findings and recommendations is provided to the complainant and, where relevant, the person complained about. A written record of all formal complaints, whether or not they are resolved following our formal procedure; and action taken by Super Scientists/Esgate Education as a result of those complaints; and correspondence, statements and records relating to individual complaints are to be kept confidential except where a legally appropriate authority requires access to them.

Should further investigations be required due to the complainant still not being satisfied with the findings and recommendations of the investigating officer, their further right to appeal will be escalated to ACAS for independent arbitration.

Complaints from Persons External to Super Scientists/Esgate Education.

If Super Scientists/Esgate Education receives a complaint from a member of the public or group, the informal stage of the process will be used. In the event of the complaint not being resolved, the matter will be referred to a Super Scientists/Esgate Education Director for a final determination. There is no right of appeal.

 

7. Unreasonable Complaints

Super Scientists/Esgate Education is committed to dealing with all complaints fairly and impartially, and to providing a high quality service to those who complain. We will not normally limit the contact complainants have with us.

However, we do not expect our tutors and staff to tolerate unacceptable behaviour and will take action to protect them from such behaviour, including that which is abusive, offensive or threatening.

A complaint may be regarded as unreasonable when the person making the complaint:

· refuses to articulate their complaint or specify the grounds of a complaint or the outcomes sought by raising the complaint, despite offers of assistance;

· refuses to co-operate with the complaints investigation process while still wishing their complaint to be resolved;

· refuses to accept that certain issues are not within the scope of a complaints procedure;

· insists on the complaint being dealt with in ways which are incompatible with the adopted complaints procedure or with good practice;

· introduces trivial or irrelevant information which the complainant expects to be taken into account and commented on, or 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 or directors who are trying to deal with the issues, and seeks to have them replaced;

· changes the basis of the complaint as the investigation proceeds;

· seeks an unrealistic outcome;

· repeatedly makes the same complaint despite previous investigations or responses concluding that the complaint is groundless or has been addressed;

· refuses to accept the findings of the investigation into a complaint where Super Scientists/Esgate Education ’s complaint procedure has been fully and properly implemented and concluded;

· makes excessive demands on Super Scientists/Esgate Education time by frequent, lengthy, complicated and stressful contact with Super Scientists/Esgate Education tutors and 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 so either face-to-

face, by telephone or in writing or electronically: -

· maliciously;

· aggressively;

· using threats, intimidation or violence;

· using abusive, offensive or discriminatory language;

· knowing it to be false;

· using falsified information;

· publishing unacceptable information in a variety of media such as in social media websites and newspapers.

Complainants should limit their number of communications with Super Scientists/Esgate Education while a complaint is being progressed. It is not helpful if repeated correspondence is sent, either by letter, phone, email or text, as it could delay the process and the outcome.

Whenever possible, a Super Scientists/Esgate Education Director will discuss any concerns with the complainant informally before applying them with an ‘unreasonable’ status. If the unreasonable behaviour continues, the Director will write to the complainant explaining that their behaviour is unreasonable and requesting that they change it.

In response to any serious incident of aggression or violence, the concerns and actions taken will be put in writing immediately and the police informed. This may include banning an individual from ever contacting or associating with Super Scientists/Esgate Education.

 

8. Barring Individuals from associating with Super Scientists/Esgate Education

Although fulfilling a public function, Super Scientists/Esgate Education remains a private business. The public has no automatic right to work or associate with us. We will therefore act to ensure that our systems, procedures and venues operate in a manner that is safe for our tutors, staff, families and other members of our community.

If a parent’s behaviour is a cause for concern, Super Scientists/Esgate Education can inform them that they are barred from working with us. In serious cases, we will notify them of this in writing and, when we feel it is necessary, we will also contact relevant authorities, including taking Court action. Although the barring of a parent would be deemed permanent, anyone wishing to complain about being barred can do so, by letter or email, to a  Super Scientists/Esgate Education Director. Once Super Scientists/Esgate Education’s complaints procedure has been completed, however, there is no right of appeal and the only remaining avenue of appeal is through the Courts; independent legal advice must therefore be sought.

 

Up-dated 01/08/25. Review 02/08/26