Complaints about schools – Advice from educators & legal experts
Educators and legal experts explain what to do when parents complain, and how to deal with negative social media…
- by Teachwire
- Classroom expertise and free resources for teachers
Practical strategies, legal guidance and mindset shifts to help you confidently manage and defuse complaints about your school – both online and offline – without compromising your values or wellbeing…
Table of contents
How to address a negative parental culture
Deputy headteacher Ed Carlin explains how to respond calmly, strategically and professionally to parental complaints about your school…
In an era defined by instant feedback and online discourse, schools are increasingly under the microscope. Not just from inspections and internal audits, but from a louder and often more volatile source – public parental opinion.
A single comment on social media can spiral into a chorus of criticism. An email, hastily written in frustration, can raise serious questions about a school’s leadership.
Some of this criticism will be constructive. Much of it, however, will be emotionally charged, misinformed or disproportionate.
Here, I intend to put forward an arguably unpopular, but necessary proposal – that instead of reacting defensively to negative parental culture, school leaders must instead take a calm, strategic approach rooted in professionalism, empathy and an unwavering focus on their core mission.
Understanding the nature of complaints about schools
It’s important to begin by unpacking the nature of parental complaints about schools. Many aren’t malicious in intent, but often born out of fear, frustration or a perceived lack of agency.
Take bullying, for instance. It’s an emotive and deeply personal issue for families. When a child reports being mistreated, the emotions involved can override logic.
Parents may question the school’s integrity, its safeguarding procedures or even its values. In such situations, the question then becomes – can parents be meaningfully involved in shaping the solution, rather than simply being passive recipients of school decisions?
True partnership requires shared ownership of problems. Rather than seeing parents as adversaries, could schools establish more proactive and transparent avenues for involvement?
“When a child reports being mistreated, the emotions involved can override logic”
Parent forums, restorative circles or even co-designed anti-bullying charters could potentially give parents a voice before those issues start to escalate.
The ‘customer service’ parallel
Having previously worked in a supermarket, I’ve been able to observe up close the dynamics of how consumer complaints play out.
A customer, unable to find their preferred product, would often approach a staff member with a mix of irritation and threat – “I’ll just take my custom elsewhere!”
It’s a classic tactic, rooted in leverage. And yet, my go-to response was never defensive. Instead, it was calm, understanding and honest: “I can see you’re disappointed, and of course, if another store can meet your needs better today, you should try that.” Ironically, many of those same customers would return days later, complaint forgotten.
The parallel with schools is striking. Parents who might have once threatened to withdraw their child, or publicly denounce the school online may well return – often quietly – to the fold.
The key isn’t to escalate such confrontations, but rather to meet emotional responses with professional clarity. Schools don’t need to win arguments. They need to present reality, acknowledge feelings and stand firmly by their values.
The social media dilemma
Enter social media – the 21st-century amplifier of discontent. According to Ofcom’s ‘Online Nation 2023’ report, over 70% of UK adults use social media daily.
As we all know, these platforms aren’t bound by editorial oversight or accountability mechanisms. Any individual, regardless of context or evidence, can broadcast their grievances to an extremely broad audience.
Once upon a time, parental complaints would live in the car park, or over the dinner table. Now they’re broadcast via Facebook community pages, WhatsApp groups and local forums, often via language that’s emotionally charged, accusatory and rarely fact-checked.
As Professor Sonia Livingstone, an expert in digital media, has previously observed, “Online communication can encourage rapid responses, often bypassing reflection. Emotions tend to spread faster than facts.”
“Any individual, regardless of context or evidence, can broadcast their grievances to an extremely broad audience”
But here’s the problem – we amplify their power when we panic. A single Facebook post doesn’t represent the majority. A loud parent isn’t always a right parent. In fact, as shown by the DfE’s 2021 Annual Parents Survey, over 80% of parents trust their child’s school.
Most are satisfied with the quality of their education provision. These are reassuring numbers, though rarely the ones that make headlines.
The risk of over-sensitivity
There’s a growing concern that school leaders, understandably weary from years of crisis management and heightened scrutiny, are becoming too sensitive to criticism.
While it’s important to listen and reflect, it’s equally important to not be derailed by minority voices. We must remind ourselves of what we’re here to do – educate, safeguard, and inspire young people. That requires resilience.
As Brené Brown puts it, “If you are not in the arena getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.” That might sound harsh, but the sentiment is real.
Leadership isn’t about appeasing everyone. It’s about staying the course, even in the face of loud opposition. Criticism will come. It always has.
From calls to ‘bring back the belt’, to accusations that, “This school does nothing about discipline!” schools have long been a battleground for the cultural values of their local communities. What’s changed is the volume and the venue.
The long view
Ultimately, leadership in schools demands a long memory and a short fuse for offence. We can’t afford to internalise every criticism, or chase every complaint down a rabbit hole.
There will always be the voices of those who feel we’re falling short. Sometimes, they may well be right. But often, they’ll be projecting, reacting or speaking from a place of fear.
“We can’t afford to internalise every criticism”
Our job is to remain rooted in our values, committed to the wellbeing of every child and connected to the many parents who can see the bigger picture. To quote Aristotle, “To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” That’s not an option for us.
We are educators. We are leaders. And we are resilient. So let’s carry on. Let’s keep the main agenda the main agenda. And let’s remember – no angry comment can outweigh the quiet gratitude of a child who feels seen, safe and supported.
What can schools do about complaints?
Listen without absorbing the toxicity
Validate feelings without accepting all claims as truth. Use phrases like, “I can see this has upset you,” or “Let me explain how we approached the issue.”
Offer transparency, not just reassurance
Where appropriate, invite parents into the process. Share policies, timelines and follow-ups – well-informed parents will be less likely to jump to conclusions.
Model professionalism
Never reply to online comments in kind. If a Facebook complaint escalates, reach out privately and calmly. Your tone will set the standard, especially for parental onlookers.
Celebrate the positive publicly
Flood your social media with positive news about student success, community events and staff shout-outs. This can reframe the school’s narrative and drown out negativity.
Focus on your core community
Remember that most families are supportive – so lean into those relationships. Consider carrying out ‘pulse checks’ via surveys, coffee mornings and ‘meet the head’ events.
Train staff in conflict resolution
Front-facing staff – receptionists and pastoral leaders especially – need the skills to de-escalate conversations and redirect energy towards solutions.
Ed Carlin is a deputy headteacher at a Scottish secondary school, having previously held teaching roles at schools in Northern Ireland and England.
Why you need robust reporting
With parental complaints to schools on the rise, it’s worth ensuring your reporting systems are sufficiently responsive, says Tamara Dasht…
Trending
All schools must have a complaints procedure, as set out in Section 29(1) of the Education Act 2002 and Part 7 of The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.
If, however, you’re unsure as to whether your school complaints procedure is fully compliant with current legislation and guidance, it may be worth looking at it afresh, and possibly seeking legal advice.
Some might choose to adopt a templated procedure from a reputable source to ensure their compliance, but do make sure this doesn’t give the name of your school or trust as [INSERT NAME] – because yes, we have seen that before…
Surge of complaints
At Browne Jacobson, we’ve seen a surge in both the number and complexity of parental complaints about schools, with clients regularly telling us about the huge volume of time and resources they’re putting into managing the complaints they receive.
Dealing with complaints about schools efficiently requires having a legally compliant procedure in place (and following it!), but beyond that, we would strongly encourage taking an holistic approach to complaints management.
Key to this is building a culture of open conversation and mutual respect within your school. If parents feel they can approach you with their concerns, and that those concerns will be addressed both promptly and properly, you can avoid later escalations.
Complaints procedure
Your staff also need to know your school’s complaints procedure inside out, and possess the skills needed to follow it to the letter. Managing difficult conversations with parents has always been part of the job, but one that’s unfortunately grown larger in recent years. To that end, we’d urge leaders to provide some form of training specifically designed to prepare staff for such situations.
Staff should always know where they can go to seek support, or simply air their grievances. Consider appointing a nominated individual at the school whose role will include complaints management, and who can offer support and guidance to staff in the event of any challenging exchanges with parents.
Keeping a record
Keeping a thorough record of complaints will help you both identify any similar or recurring issues, and bed in any major changes to your practice or procedures.
For example – is the school currently receiving multiple complaints concerning attainment levels? If so, you might need to review your communication of students’ grades and progress to parents. It’s often cases of mistaken communication – or, indeed, a lack of any communication at all – that lies at the heart of parental complaints.
Keeping parents well-informed, and perhaps seeking their input on occasion, will make them feel more involved in the life of the school, and prevent otherwise robust relationships from breaking down.
In short, get the fundamentals right. Ensure your school complaints policy is legally compliant. Make sure that (suitably trained) staff know and follow it – and more than anything, communicate as much as you can.
You can then sit back and hopefully watch as your volume of parental complaints, and the time/resource investment in dealing with them, both start to decline.
Tamara Dasht is an associate at Browne Jacobson; for more information, visit brownejacobson.com or follow @brownejacobson
Protecting your social media presence
Legal expert Kate Hindmarch offers some pointers for keeping your school community and reputation safe from keyboard warriors…
1. Assess the threat
Social media is a powerful way of communicating useful information to parents and pupils. But what happens when a disgruntled parent takes to the keyboard to vent their anger at you?
Whether due to a particular lesson or a lunchtime incident, it can be easy to panic when the post appears. Get a clear understanding of what the post is saying and how much engagement it has.
Commenting publicly on posts with low engagement can end up fanning the flames and cause others to get involved. If the post has few or no likes, comments or shares it may be best to let it slide. It will probably soon drop off people’s timelines.
2. Where’s your complaints procedure?
When a parent complains on social media, it’ll likely be the result of a snap decision fuelled by anger. If you’ve judged the post as potentially damaging to the school, it’s important to address the issue as soon as possible.
Speak to the individual in question and point them towards your school’s formal complaints procedure and social media policy. Both of these should be easily accessible to all parents online.
Sometimes it’s a misunderstanding that can be ironed out over a phone call or face-to-face. If their behaviour continues, or you receive further abuse from the parent via social media on two or more occasions, you may wish to contact the police.
3. Be prepared
While most schools will – and should – have a social media policy in place, it will often only cover staff and pupils, without stretching to parents.
Though most schools will stipulate that all parents sign up to the school’s Code of Conduct, this will frequently not include social media conduct.
That said, by ensuring all teachers observe best practice and adhere to your school’s social media policy, they’ll be equipped to deal with any issues as they arise.
The policy should clearly outline the consequences for breaches. What steps can the school can take in the event of a social media issue?
4. Contact your solicitor
If an individual is harassing the school or a teacher on social media, you may have no choice but to contact your solicitor and ask for their advice on the matter.
They can help draft letters to the individual. These will advise them as to what laws they might have broken – potentially anything from defamation to breaches of confidentiality.
If the post is more serious, your solicitor might advise taking legal action and applying for an injunction.
5. Apply for an injunction
This will usually be a means of last resort. They’re an effective way of putting the brakes on parent-driven social media harassment. However, it can be tricky for schools to manage, not to mention costly.
You can’t grant an injunction prohibiting a parent from entering or contacting a school. This is because they’ll still need to attend parents’ evenings and access important information about their child.
If, however, a judge sees the parent’s behaviour as damaging to the school’s reputation, they’ll likely grant an injunction to put a stop to their negative social media behaviour.
If you go down this route, be sure to act quickly. Any delay in proceedings could stop the courts from granting an injunction at all.
6. Advise your staff
Advising all staff on how to protect themselves online is another great preventative method. This could include recommending that their social media profiles are made private, not befriending parents and pupils through social media channels and advising them on what to do if they receive unsolicited messages through social media.
It’s also worth outlining the differences between professional and personal social media use. Another move can be to make it harder for parents and pupils to find certain individuals, such as asking teachers to flip the first and last letters of their names around or using nicknames.
Kate Hindmarch is partner and head of employment at Langleys Solicitors, a firm responsible for helping to create one of the first UK academies.
