1 Our commitment
We welcome concerns and complaints because they help us understand families’ experiences and improve our provision. We listen, investigate fairly, explain our decisions and act where improvements are needed. Raising a complaint, asking for advice or contacting a regulator will not disadvantage a child or family.
This procedure covers parents, carers and other service users, including professionals and agencies raising concerns about our provision. Staff employment grievances and whistleblowing follow their respective procedures, with safeguarding concerns acted on immediately. We consider concerns from former families and anonymous information where there is enough detail to investigate; anonymity may limit the response we can give.
2 How to raise a concern or complaint
You may speak to your child’s key person or the manager, telephone, email or write to us. You can make a formal complaint directly without first completing an informal discussion. Tell us what happened, when, who was involved and what you would like us to put right. We help clarify the issues; you do not need legal wording, a special form or a subject access request before we consider your complaint.
Manager and director: Andy Hiscock. General setting contact: andy.hiscock@foundrylanepreschool.co.uk | 07441 919888. For a formal complaint, including a complaint about Andy, email andy.hiscock@foundrylanepreschool.co.uk or write to Foundry Lane Preschool, Foundry Lane, Southampton SO15 3JT. Mark correspondence “Private and confidential — complaint”.
Andy holds both the manager and director roles. There is no separate internal person above him to hear an appeal. Section 5 explains how complaints about his involvement are handled and the limits of the internal process. Urgent safeguarding concerns follow section 6.
The Senior Lead monitors complaints when Andy is away or unavailable, records receipt, arranges acknowledgement and brings urgent matters to the appropriate person or agency. We maintain cover so absence or preschool closure does not automatically pause response deadlines.
3 Accessible communication
We offer reasonable adjustments, including help recording a verbal complaint, an accessible format, a support person or appropriate language assistance. We agree a suitable way to communicate and explain confidentiality. Where we write down a verbal complaint, we offer you a copy to check for accuracy. Children’s views are heard sensitively in ways appropriate to their age and communication, without repeated or leading questioning.
Investigation outcomes and review
4 How we investigate
Informal concerns are addressed promptly by the key person or manager where appropriate. We record the concern, action taken and whether it has been resolved. If a formal investigation is needed or requested, we log the original receipt date, allocate a complaint reference, identify the person responsible and check for conflicts of interest.
We acknowledge formal complaints within five working days. The acknowledgement confirms the issues understood, investigator, response method and deadline. We ask promptly about any unclear points and record your account accurately. Lack of agreement on a scope document does not prevent us investigating issues already sufficiently clear, and asking for clarification does not automatically restart the clock.
We review relevant records, hear the accounts of those involved, give people a fair opportunity to respond and distinguish evidence from opinion or unresolved disagreement. We preserve relevant records, including any recordings that would otherwise be routinely deleted, where lawful and necessary. We seek specialist advice when needed, without predetermining the outcome.
Written complaints about how we meet EYFS requirements must be investigated and the complainant notified of the outcome within 28 calendar days of receipt. This is a requirement, not simply an aim. Our setting standard is to respond to other formal service complaints within the same period. Working days for acknowledgements mean Monday to Friday excluding public holidays; the EYFS 28-day period includes weekends, holidays and preschool closures.
If an external investigation or lawful information restriction affects what can be investigated or disclosed, we seek appropriate advice, continue the parts we can investigate and explain any limitations. We do not treat waiting for an agency, summer closure, an internal review or a data request as an automatic extension of the EYFS deadline. The response within that period explains findings reached, action taken and any matters that remain unresolved; unresolved matters continue to be tracked and followed up. An interim update alone is not a substitute for the required outcome notification.
The written outcome
The response addresses each issue, explains the evidence and reasons, states whether it is upheld, partly upheld, not upheld or cannot be determined, and sets out any remedy, apology or improvement. It explains remaining enquiries and how they will be followed up, the review route and external contacts. We give enough information to understand the decision while protecting children, third parties and confidential staff information. We do not promise disclosure of every interview note or safeguarding record.
Requesting a review
If dissatisfied, tell Andy why you disagree, what evidence or issue was missed and what you want reconsidered. He will revisit the relevant evidence, consider additional information and explain whether the outcome changes and why. This is reconsideration by the same manager/director, not an independent appeal. We acknowledge reconsideration requests within five working days and respond within 14 calendar days. This further stage does not extend the original EYFS deadline or restrict external reporting. You do not have to agree with our conclusion before the internal process can be closed.
Director complaints and safeguarding
5 Complaints about the manager or director
Andy Hiscock is both manager and director and is responsible for handling formal complaints. A complaint about his own conduct or decisions can be made using the direct contact in section 2. Foundry Lane has no independent internal reviewer and does not promise a separately funded external investigator. We explain that limitation openly; seniority does not make a person independent.
Where Andy has been involved in the events, he records that involvement and the resulting conflict, sets out the specific issues and considers the complainant’s account and relevant documentary evidence. He distinguishes his own account from other evidence, gives reasons for findings and considers evidence that challenges his position. He may seek appropriate advice, but advice alone is not described as an independent investigation or determination.
The written response identifies who considered the complaint, any limits on the evidence, findings on each issue and actions taken or proposed. The complainant can identify errors or provide further information for reconsideration under section 4. Neither the investigation nor reconsideration is represented as independent where Andy carries it out.
Parents may raise EYFS or registration concerns with Ofsted, funding concerns with Southampton, data-protection concerns with the ICO, or safeguarding concerns with the appropriate agencies. Section 7 explains those different roles. They are not a general independent appeal panel for Foundry Lane: Ofsted does not resolve individual fee or contractual disputes, and a court or other applicable dispute route may be relevant to those matters. Required safeguarding referrals and regulatory cooperation continue regardless of the internal complaint process.
6 Safeguarding concerns and allegations
Concerns that a child may be at risk are acted on immediately under our safeguarding procedures and local reporting arrangements, regardless of whether a complaint is formal, withdrawn or resolved. Allegations against staff, volunteers, the manager or director are referred to the appropriate local authority designated officer (LADO) and other agencies where required. We avoid investigations that could compromise police or children’s social care enquiries.
We make required notifications to Ofsted within the applicable timescales. The EYFS requires notification of allegations of serious harm or abuse by anyone living, working or looking after children at the premises, and action taken, as soon as reasonably practicable and within 14 days. Not every service complaint requires an Ofsted notification; the safeguarding and notification criteria must be checked.
Anyone who believes a child is at risk can contact children’s social care or police directly. Call 999 if a child is in immediate danger, or police on 101 for a non-emergency concern. The manager provides the applicable local safeguarding contacts, including cross-boundary arrangements where relevant. Parents do not have to complete this complaints procedure before raising a child-protection concern.
External routes records and improvement
7 Ofsted funding and privacy complaints
Ofsted: if you believe we are not meeting EYFS or registration requirements, you may contact Ofsted directly. We encourage discussion with us so concerns can be addressed, but our procedure does not prevent you informing Ofsted. Contact enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk or 0300 123 4666. Guidance: www.gov.uk/complain-about-childcare. Ofsted considers compliance and may inspect or take regulatory action; it cannot resolve individual contractual or fee disputes and does not usually provide a personal complaint outcome.
Free entitlement and charging: complaints about funded hours, invoices, compulsory extras, deposits or access to a funded place are covered by this procedure. Families may also approach Southampton’s Early Years Funding Team through the council’s published early years/family information contacts. The 2026/27 provider agreement names andrew.hart@southampton.gov.uk as the first contact for appeals against EY funding decisions. A complaint about the council’s handling follows Southampton’s complaints procedure and, where appropriate after that process, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman route concerns the council’s actions; it is not a general appeal against this preschool’s decisions.
Privacy and data rights: contact Andy at andy.hiscock@foundrylanepreschool.co.uk. We follow the separate privacy notice and applicable data-protection rules, including appropriate investigation and an outcome without undue delay. We acknowledge within five working days and meet the applicable statutory acknowledgement limit. You can also contact the ICO at ico.org.uk. Data requests, complaints and safeguarding enquiries may run alongside one another; one does not automatically suspend another or change its deadline.
8 Confidential records
We keep a written record of complaints and outcomes, including informal complaints recorded under this procedure. The secure complaints file records receipt and acknowledgement dates, the issues, investigator, conflicts and how managed, evidence, actions, outcome, notification date, any review and learning. Records distinguish allegations from findings and include relevant disagreement. Where a complaint is withdrawn, we record that fact and decide whether safeguarding or quality concerns still require action.
We keep the complaints log and investigation records securely in Microsoft 365. Internal access is restricted to Andy Hiscock and the Senior Lead. Records are made available to Ofsted on request and shared with other authorised recipients where lawfully required or necessary. Relevant care or safeguarding information is also recorded in the appropriate child or safeguarding record. Confidential adult correspondence or employment material is not automatically placed in a child’s learning record or shared with other families.
We retain the complaints log and ordinary complaint records for at least three years from closure as our setting retention rule, subject to the approved retention schedule. Safeguarding, legal, insurance or funding requirements may justify longer retention; we document the reason, apply secure access and do not delete records needed for an ongoing matter. The privacy notice explains retention and rights.
9 Learning and publication
Andy tracks remedies and improvements to completion and checks whether they have worked. We review practice after upheld complaints and consider learning from all concerns. Staff receive the procedure at induction and updates when it changes. Parents receive it through NiB at registration, with paper and accessible copies on request. It is available with our parent information. We review it at least annually and sooner when requirements, contacts or practice change.