Complaints

How to make a complaint

Ākonga are encouraged to express their concerns within a safe and impartial environment.

When formal complaints are received, they are acted upon to resolve them to the satisfaction of all parties. Te Rau Matatau will act promptly to remedy the complaint, where such is valid and substantiated. This is to ensure that complainants are not subject to future harassment, retaliation, or victimisation.

Complaint procedures are applied irrespective of the source of the complaint, whether from ākonga, colleagues or the public, and will be processed in the same way.

If you have a concern or complaint about any aspect of your learning experience at Te Rau Matatau, we encourage you to talk to the staff involved to try and resolve the problem. They may be genuinely unaware of the issue that has led to your concern and will appreciate you bringing it to their attention.

You can talk to the Kaiako or Kaimanaaki Ākonga for advice and support if you want to take this approach. However, if this informal approach doesn’t achieve the outcome you’re looking for – or you’d just prefer to go directly to a formal process – you can make a formal ākonga complaint.

You can do this by completing and submitting the official Ākonga Complaints Form. When you submit your complaint form, this is sent directly to Pouwhakahaere Dr Cheryl Stephens to investigate and action, and you will receive a formal written acknowledgement that it’s been received.

Te Rau Matatau has 20 working days to resolve your complaint. As part of any investigation and according to natural justice principles, the complaint will be forwarded to any person being complained about.

Your Responsibilities

  • When making a complaint, please ensure that you:
  • Make sure you raise the complaint as soon as possible – and report it honestly and fully
  • Are prepared to provide evidence to the staff-member investigating your complaint. It will not be possible to uphold your complaint if there is no credible evidence to support it
  • Respect the confidentiality of the process and give us reasonable time to resolve it
  • Treat people involved with courtesy and respect
  • Are clear about the outcomes you’d like and try to suggest resolutions that are reasonable

Our Responsibilities

Our responsibilities when receiving your complaint are to ensure it will:

  • Be investigated thoroughly and fairly
  • Be dealt with in a timely and courteous manner
  • Be kept confidential
  • Result in no unpleasant action against you while it’s being investigated

You may bring whānau support with you to any hui about the complaint, and you may appeal the outcome if you are not satisfied. You have 20 working days from the date you were notified of the outcome to submit an appeal.

The Ākonga Complaints Form can be downloaded here.

Please complete the form and email it to cheryl.stephens@terauora.com