Student's Complaints & Appeals Policy
It is important that if a student feels dissatisfied with any matter relating to enrolment at the college, a Lecturer or a member of our staff, a student should have an effective means by which such matter can be aired or communicated and where appropriate is resolved.
London Essex College aims to provide the best possible solution to settle complaints as soon as possible, in an amicable manner which will benefit the interest of both parties; all complaints will be addressed to areas where improvement is identified and necessary.
London Essex College seek to handle issues and complaints in a manner which:
Encourages most appropriate and possible solution
Fair and Efficient
Treats complaint with sincerity, seriousness, and most importantly with confidentiality
To ensure that LEC will improve its practice as a result where this is relevant
This document is pertinent to all students who have some issues and who may wish to complain about any aspect of the institution including:
teaching and academic facilities, including quality of teaching and supervision,
and laboratory facilities
academic services, such as computing/ computer laboratories and library facilities
administrative services, such as Academic Registry and other services
Admission Procedure
the behaviour of another student
the behaviour of a member of staff
Policy Framework
QAA Code of Practice (Section 5: Academic Appeals and Student Complaints on Academic Matters, October 2007) has been used as one of its foundation and to update this documents.
London Essex College believes that it is for both parties interest to have a fair, accessible and transparent Complaints Policy in order to resolve raised issues and complaints at the earliest stage as possible in order to improve the quality of life and study experience at LEC.
Similarly, London Essex College also reserves the right to decline to transact such complain if the complaint would take an aggressive or abusive approach towards any member of the staff; as all staff deserves the right to be treated courteously and consequently with respect.
Guide to Making a Complaint
Why should a student make a complaint?
Similar to there are no such thing as perfect, no service is perfect. Mistakes can happen and human error exists. However, there are always room for improvement. This is why London Essex College, encourages its students to inform as soon as possible if they feel dissatisfied about the services or they would recommend any suggestion for improvement of the quality of the services.
To whom a student can make a complaint?
At London Essex College, it is in everybody’s interest to deal with any issues or complaints quickly and if possible in amicable manner. London Essex College has number of people who can be approached and may find helpful before moving further with the complaint.
Course Co-ordinator, Director of Studies
Student Welfare Officer
Can someone make a complaint on a student’s behalf?
For exceptional cases student’s complaint may be submitted on their behalf; however London Essex College encourages students to submit his or her own complaint. London Essex College, would highly recommend however to have a direct contact with the student in order to resolve the issue as quick and as informal as possible.
In any case, complaints can be accompanied by a family member, a friend or a representative during the complaints procedure.
London Essex College has made a commitment that under no circumstances that students will be penalised for raising a complaint. All staff involved in handling complaints are trained and are well informed about the procedures, they are obliged to ensure that any complaints will not influence any assessment or academic work of the complaints or the way the student will be treated after the procedure.
Individuals or any members of the institution which is subject of the complaint, is entitled to know who has raised an issue or a complaint about them, consequently the nature of the complaint. If in any case that the complaint is worried or concerned for such reasons, complaints may wish to talk to the student welfare officer. For such exceptional cases and with justifiable reasons, London Essex College will acknowledge the complaint to be anonymous for the initial stages of the procedure (which will be documented). However, LEC will normally wish to undertake confidential discussions in person with the complaint and with the subject of the complaint.
How will the complaint be resolve?
When making an informal or formal complaint, it is always advisable and worth thinking to know how would you like the complaint to be resolve and to identify your suggestions, in order for London Essex College to solve your issues or concern. LEC will ensure that complaints will be dealt with and will have an appropriate and proportionate action.
Stages of Procedure
We detail below the procedure how you can have your complaint resolved:
Stage 1:
In as much as it is possible, please try to liaise and resolve the issue between yourself and the member of staff in question.
Stage 2:
If you cannot resolve the issue with the member of staff in question, you can report the matter to your Student Welfare Officer in person or by filling a complaint form which is readily available on the reception desk. The Student Welfare Officer can address the issue by himself/herself. If the complaint is about a non lecturing member of staff, your teacher will help to facilitate a forum where you can meet the Student Welfare Officer, Mr Ashfaq Ahmad.
Stage 3:
If your matter is still not resolved to your satisfaction, you then can appeal to the Middle level management as follows:
Lecturing complaints – Director of Studies/ Operations
Administration Complaints – Administration Manager
Stage 4:
If your issue is not dealt with to your satisfaction at this level, you can communicate in writing to have your matter dealt with by the Board of Directors as a collective body. Additional Notes:
After a matter is resolved, the complaint and action taken will be documented and action implemented so as to prevent future reoccurrence.
There are certain complaints which may need to be addressed externally by the examination bodies. We will make sure that we give you proper advice on how to communicate comments and complaints to your examination body.
APPEALS PROCEDURE
This appeals procedure is applicable to all Students of London Essex College
This College procedure allows for an appeal against the imposition of penalties or any other decision made by the College Management.
Throughout this document , the words 'appeal panel' should be read as referring either to a group of individuals convened for the purpose of hearing a particular appeal or to one individual, as set out in the appropriate College procedure.
The PURPOSE OF THE APPEAL
An appeal against a penalty decision is an opportunity for review. Appeal may be made against:
Assessment Outcomes
GROUNDS OF APPEAL
No reason was given for the decision
HOW TO APPEAL
Appeal should be made in writing to the appropriate person within ten working days of the decision.
WHO HEARS AN APPEAL?
Appeals will be heard by a panel that was not involved in the original process/ decision, as set out in the appropriate College policies/ procedures.
The appeal hearing will be conducted in private.
SUBJECT CONSENT
In some cases, the College can only process personal data with the consent of the individual. If the data is sensitive consent must be obtained from the individual concerned. Agreement to the College processing some specified classes of personal data is a condition of acceptance by a student onto any course, and a condition of employment for staff. The college has a duty of care to all staff and students and must therefore make sure those employees and those who use College facilities do not pose a threat or danger to other users.
The College will only use this information in the protection of the health and safety of the individual, but will need consent to process this data in the event of medical emergency.
Therefore, the application forms that all prospective staff and students are required to complete will include a section requiring consent to process the applicant’s personal data.
PROCESSING SENSITIVE INFORMATION
An offer of employment or a course place may be withdrawn if an individual refuses to consent this without a reason acceptable to London Essex College Board.
PUBLICATION OF COLLEGE INFORMATION
Certain items of information relating to college staff will be made available on the College Web Site, in order to meet the legitimate needs of visitors and those needing to make contact with appropriate staff.
RETENTION OF DATA
Compliance with guidelines is the responsibility of all members of the College. Any deliberate breach of the Data Protection policy will lead to disciplinary action being taken or access to College facilities being withdrawn, or even to a criminal prosecution.
CONCLUSION
Compliance with guidelines is the responsibility of all members of the College. Any deliberate breach of the Data Protection policy will lead to disciplinary action being taken or access to College facilities being withdrawn, or even to a criminal prosecution.
London Essex College aims to provide the best possible solution to settle complaints as soon as possible, in an amicable manner which will benefit the interest of both parties; all complaints will be addressed to areas where improvement is identified and necessary.
London Essex College seek to handle issues and complaints in a manner which:
Encourages most appropriate and possible solution
Fair and Efficient
Treats complaint with sincerity, seriousness, and most importantly with confidentiality
To ensure that LEC will improve its practice as a result where this is relevant
This document is pertinent to all students who have some issues and who may wish to complain about any aspect of the institution including:
teaching and academic facilities, including quality of teaching and supervision,
and laboratory facilities
academic services, such as computing/ computer laboratories and library facilities
administrative services, such as Academic Registry and other services
Admission Procedure
the behaviour of another student
the behaviour of a member of staff
Policy Framework
QAA Code of Practice (Section 5: Academic Appeals and Student Complaints on Academic Matters, October 2007) has been used as one of its foundation and to update this documents.
London Essex College believes that it is for both parties interest to have a fair, accessible and transparent Complaints Policy in order to resolve raised issues and complaints at the earliest stage as possible in order to improve the quality of life and study experience at LEC.
Similarly, London Essex College also reserves the right to decline to transact such complain if the complaint would take an aggressive or abusive approach towards any member of the staff; as all staff deserves the right to be treated courteously and consequently with respect.
Guide to Making a Complaint
Why should a student make a complaint?
Similar to there are no such thing as perfect, no service is perfect. Mistakes can happen and human error exists. However, there are always room for improvement. This is why London Essex College, encourages its students to inform as soon as possible if they feel dissatisfied about the services or they would recommend any suggestion for improvement of the quality of the services.
To whom a student can make a complaint?
At London Essex College, it is in everybody’s interest to deal with any issues or complaints quickly and if possible in amicable manner. London Essex College has number of people who can be approached and may find helpful before moving further with the complaint.
Course Co-ordinator, Director of Studies
Student Welfare Officer
Can someone make a complaint on a student’s behalf?
For exceptional cases student’s complaint may be submitted on their behalf; however London Essex College encourages students to submit his or her own complaint. London Essex College, would highly recommend however to have a direct contact with the student in order to resolve the issue as quick and as informal as possible.
In any case, complaints can be accompanied by a family member, a friend or a representative during the complaints procedure.
London Essex College has made a commitment that under no circumstances that students will be penalised for raising a complaint. All staff involved in handling complaints are trained and are well informed about the procedures, they are obliged to ensure that any complaints will not influence any assessment or academic work of the complaints or the way the student will be treated after the procedure.
Individuals or any members of the institution which is subject of the complaint, is entitled to know who has raised an issue or a complaint about them, consequently the nature of the complaint. If in any case that the complaint is worried or concerned for such reasons, complaints may wish to talk to the student welfare officer. For such exceptional cases and with justifiable reasons, London Essex College will acknowledge the complaint to be anonymous for the initial stages of the procedure (which will be documented). However, LEC will normally wish to undertake confidential discussions in person with the complaint and with the subject of the complaint.
How will the complaint be resolve?
When making an informal or formal complaint, it is always advisable and worth thinking to know how would you like the complaint to be resolve and to identify your suggestions, in order for London Essex College to solve your issues or concern. LEC will ensure that complaints will be dealt with and will have an appropriate and proportionate action.
Stages of Procedure
We detail below the procedure how you can have your complaint resolved:
Stage 1:
In as much as it is possible, please try to liaise and resolve the issue between yourself and the member of staff in question.
Stage 2:
If you cannot resolve the issue with the member of staff in question, you can report the matter to your Student Welfare Officer in person or by filling a complaint form which is readily available on the reception desk. The Student Welfare Officer can address the issue by himself/herself. If the complaint is about a non lecturing member of staff, your teacher will help to facilitate a forum where you can meet the Student Welfare Officer, Mr Ashfaq Ahmad.
Stage 3:
If your matter is still not resolved to your satisfaction, you then can appeal to the Middle level management as follows:
Lecturing complaints – Director of Studies/ Operations
Administration Complaints – Administration Manager
Stage 4:
If your issue is not dealt with to your satisfaction at this level, you can communicate in writing to have your matter dealt with by the Board of Directors as a collective body. Additional Notes:
After a matter is resolved, the complaint and action taken will be documented and action implemented so as to prevent future reoccurrence.
There are certain complaints which may need to be addressed externally by the examination bodies. We will make sure that we give you proper advice on how to communicate comments and complaints to your examination body.
APPEALS PROCEDURE
This appeals procedure is applicable to all Students of London Essex College
This College procedure allows for an appeal against the imposition of penalties or any other decision made by the College Management.
Throughout this document , the words 'appeal panel' should be read as referring either to a group of individuals convened for the purpose of hearing a particular appeal or to one individual, as set out in the appropriate College procedure.
The PURPOSE OF THE APPEAL
An appeal against a penalty decision is an opportunity for review. Appeal may be made against:
Assessment Outcomes
GROUNDS OF APPEAL
No reason was given for the decision
HOW TO APPEAL
Appeal should be made in writing to the appropriate person within ten working days of the decision.
WHO HEARS AN APPEAL?
Appeals will be heard by a panel that was not involved in the original process/ decision, as set out in the appropriate College policies/ procedures.
The appeal hearing will be conducted in private.
SUBJECT CONSENT
In some cases, the College can only process personal data with the consent of the individual. If the data is sensitive consent must be obtained from the individual concerned. Agreement to the College processing some specified classes of personal data is a condition of acceptance by a student onto any course, and a condition of employment for staff. The college has a duty of care to all staff and students and must therefore make sure those employees and those who use College facilities do not pose a threat or danger to other users.
The College will only use this information in the protection of the health and safety of the individual, but will need consent to process this data in the event of medical emergency.
Therefore, the application forms that all prospective staff and students are required to complete will include a section requiring consent to process the applicant’s personal data.
PROCESSING SENSITIVE INFORMATION
An offer of employment or a course place may be withdrawn if an individual refuses to consent this without a reason acceptable to London Essex College Board.
PUBLICATION OF COLLEGE INFORMATION
Certain items of information relating to college staff will be made available on the College Web Site, in order to meet the legitimate needs of visitors and those needing to make contact with appropriate staff.
RETENTION OF DATA
Compliance with guidelines is the responsibility of all members of the College. Any deliberate breach of the Data Protection policy will lead to disciplinary action being taken or access to College facilities being withdrawn, or even to a criminal prosecution.
CONCLUSION
Compliance with guidelines is the responsibility of all members of the College. Any deliberate breach of the Data Protection policy will lead to disciplinary action being taken or access to College facilities being withdrawn, or even to a criminal prosecution.
NEWS & UPDATES
Seats are available for August 2012, contact the college for more information.
Seats are available for A1- C1 ESOL exams, please contact the college for more information.
London Essex College is now an approved ACCA Test Centre. Book NOW! Or Visit the college for more information.
