1.1 Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) is committed to being a fully accessible and inclusive organisation, welcoming and respecting the diversity of its students, staff, community and visitors to its schools.
1.2 This policy is based on our values of collaboration and building Federation with the school community; it aligns to our Complaints Policy and the Federation’s commitment to complaint resolution within the boundaries of reasonable behaviours.
1.3 This policy is anchored to the Mission of the Cabot Learning Federation, which is to consistently deliver excellent educational experiences for pupils aged 2-19, improving their life chances and serving the communities of which we are a member.
1.4 Our work is further underpinned by the CLF’s Core Purpose, also known as its HEART Values. These are set out in the graphic below:
1.5 The CLF and all of its stakeholders have a duty of care towards our staff and students to ensure that our schools are supportive, calm, and kind spaces.
1.6 When making any decisions under this policy each case will be considered on its own individual circumstances. The Federation will further act in a way that is consistent with public law principles, the Equality Act 2010, and the Human Rights Act 1998.
1.7 This policy applies to parents or carers or anyone with legal responsibility for a child (and any other family members or visitors to individual academies). Pupil misconduct will be dealt with in line with the school’s behaviour policy.
2.1 This Policy makes reference to various policies throughout, including:
3.1 Cabot Learning Federation is committed to dealing with all concerns and complaints fairly and impartially, and to providing a high-quality service to those who raise a concern or complaint.
3.2 We will not normally limit the contact those raising concerns or complaints have with our schools. However, we do not expect our staff to tolerate unreasonable behaviour and will act to protect staff from such behaviour, including that which is unkind, derogatory, abusive, offensive, threatening, or which places excessive demands upon our staff and impacts on the day-to-day running of our schools.
3.3 The purpose of this policy is to define what is meant by unreasonable behaviours and the actions which will be taken in these cases. This policy should be applied when behaviour meets the criteria defined in Appendix 1.
3.4 The scope of this policy extends to all methods of contact including telephone, face-to-face, letters, emails, social media, and other digital channels.
4.1 This policy will be published on the Cabot Learning Federation website and included in the Federation’s Policy Review Cycle.
5.1 The Cabot Learning Federation’s definition of unreasonable behaviour is outlined in Appendix 1.
6.1 Complainants or those raising concerns should try to limit their communication with the academy which relates to their concern or complaint, whilst the complaint or concern is being progressed. It is not helpful if repeated correspondence is sent (either by letter, phone, email, or text), as it could delay the resolution or outcome of the complaint being reached. Timelines for dealing with complaints can be found in our Complaints Policy.
7.1 Before applying this policy, the below process should be followed:
7.1.1 If a member of staff suspects the Managing Unreasonable Behaviour Policy has been breached, they should inform their Principal or Executive Principal who will review the behaviour against the definition of unreasonable behaviour outlined in Appendix 1 of this policy.
7.1.2 Where it is confirmed that unreasonable behaviour has occurred, we may put in place temporary restrictions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff and students, as well as contacting the appropriate authorities or taking legal advice and action.
7.1.3 The decision to restrict access to the academy will be taken by the Principal, Executive Principal or Head of Governance. Any restrictions imposed will be appropriate and proportionate. They may include:
7.1.4 If the academy deems a site ban necessary, the Principal will formally notify the affected party in writing.
7.1.5 The ban from site takes effect immediately; however, on receipt of the letter, the banned person has the right to make written representations to the Chair of the Academy Council. On receipt of the representations, or by a set date if no representations are made, the Chair must review the decision and either confirm it or remove it.
7.1.6 A ban might be for a fixed period of one, two or three weeks. At the end of the period the ban is automatically lifted. However, in exceptional circumstances, the ban may be for longer. If this is the case, the decision will be reviewed regularly (recommended every three weeks).
7.1.7 In the event that the behaviour may present a safeguarding risk, the school’s safeguarding policy will be followed.
7.1.8 Where the behaviour is so extreme that a person/s aggressive, abusive or insulting behaviour or language threatens the immediate safety and welfare of staff, pupils, members of the Board or Academy Councillors, or causes staff, pupils, members of the Board or Academy Councillors to feel threatened for their immediate safety and welfare, the academy (or the Federation) will consider additional options, which include reporting the matter to the police and/or taking legal action. In such cases, the complainant may not be given prior warning of that action.
7.2 Reporting other concerns:
8.1 It is accepted that many members of the school community take part in online activities and social media. In many instances activity related to the school is positive and helps build the school community. Members of the community are asked to use common sense when discussing school life online and to be respectful of staff, pupils, parents/carers and all other members of the school, the Federation and the wider community.
8.2 Social media, whether public or private, should not be used to fuel campaigns or voice complaints against the school, members of staff, parents, children or any other member of the school community or Federation. If parents, carers or visitors have concerns they should raise them through the appropriate channels (see para 7.2 above).
8.3 If any student or parent/carer of a child/ren being educated at any of our schools is found to be posting libelous or defamatory comments on social media or other public platforms they will be reported to the appropriate ‘report abuse’ section of the network site. All social network sites have clear rules about the content which can be posted on the site, and they have robust mechanisms to report content or activity which breaches this. Cabot Learning Federation will ask the parent/carer or student to remove such comments/material immediately. Libelous or defamatory comments will also be reported to the police and any relevant safeguarding bodies. We may also instigate legal action if appropriate.
8.4 Families should refrain from posting photos or videos containing an image or images of any pupil other than their own child onto social media, unless they have the explicit consent/permission of the other pupil’s parents/carers.
9.1 If covert recordings of meetings, incidents are discovered to have been made, the school will contact the person who made the recording to:
9.2 If the recordings go on to be shared with any other third party, then Data Protection Law will apply. For example:
9.3 If a recording is discovered to have been shared publicly, the school will seek engage the Federation’s Information Governance Officer and/or the Federation’s solicitors with regard to seeking further advice as well as contacting the ICO and/or the appropriate publisher e.g. social media organisation/s.
The Cabot Learning Federation does not tolerate bullying or harassment of any kind (including sexist, racist, homophobic or transphobic bullying). Where the behaviour of visitors, parents or carers is unreasonable, Cabot Learning Federation will act in accordance with this guidance.
| Examples of behaviour which is unreasonable and will not be tolerated include: | |
| Unacceptable Behaviour |
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| Complaints |
Complaints that are not in scope
Additional complaints, concerns or questions
Repeated or serial complaints or concerns
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