The government is drawing up new guidance for schools and parents over complaints to “reduce the burden on leaders”.
Ministers have said the advice will be published “shortly”, amid concerns over the “increasing number of complaints” and the toll on heads.
The Department for Education will also conduct research, involving teachers and parents with “experience” of the process.
In a letter about rising parent complaints, seen by Schools Week, schools minister Catherine McKinnell told Tory leader Kemi Badenoch: “We are engaging with schools and organisations representing both the education sector and parents to consider what more we can do.
“[This includes] exploring options to improve the complaints process and reduce the burden on schools and leaders whilst also maintaining parents’ rights to raise concerns.
“We take the wellbeing of staff very seriously. We will shortly be publishing updated guidance for schools on managing complaints, as well as updating guidance for parents and carers.”
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has also “acknowledged the concerns being raised about parental complaints”, including the increasing number “received by schools and the impact it is having” on leaders.
Complaints research project to launch
A seven-day research project, beginning on Monday, will be led by Policy Lab, a team within the Department for Education. Its aim “is to better understand the school complaints landscape and generate ideas for how to reduce them”.
As well as schools, parents who have experience with the “complaints process, whether they have initiated a complaint or been involved in resolving one”, will be involved.
The research will take the form of a “debate”, during which parents and teacher will be able to support or disagree with statements and anonymously submit their own views for others to vote on.
Headteacher support service Headrest’s latest wellbeing report showed 56 per cent of leaders and 40 per cent of teachers witnessed an increase in vexatious complaints from parents and guardians.
Leaders’ union the NAHT has called on ministers to review “complaints procedures to deter vexatious use of the existing system by parents”, involving referrals to the misconduct agency and Ofsted before school processes have been followed.
The Confederation of School Trusts last year urged the government to create a “single front door” to “triage” complaints and ensure they are not investigated multiple times.
The DfE did not respond to a request for comment.
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