Free and accessible
There is no fee and no mandatory LMS route. You may ask for an alternative format, interpreter, advocate, communication method or another reasonable adjustment.
Skip to complaints information
Report safeguarding
First contact · Stage 1
Stage 2 · Compliance review
Stage 3 · Final internal review
Safeguarding
General and telephone
Written route
Learner, apprentice and employer policy
Complaints Policy
We want every concern to be heard, handled fairly and resolved as promptly as possible. You can raise a complaint without charge, without unnecessary formality and without fear that your learning, support or professional treatment will be affected.
- Acknowledgement within two working days
- Reasonable adjustments available
- Independent review and conflict checks
Is someone in immediate danger?
Call 999. For any possible abuse, neglect, exploitation, radicalisation, self-harm, unsafe practice or immediate welfare risk, email safeguarding@kentbusinesscollege.com. The ordinary complaints stages will never delay protective action.
A fair and accessible service
What you can expect from us
The policy applies to learners, apprentices, prospective and former learners, employers and authorised representatives across KBC-funded and commercial services.
Fair and impartial
Conflicts are declared and managed before a case handler, investigator, reviewer or decision-maker accesses more information than necessary.
Confidential
Complaint information is handled on a need-to-know basis for investigation, fairness, safeguarding and legal or regulatory duties.
No disadvantage
No person should be disadvantaged in learning, support, assessment preparation, access to services or professional treatment because they complained or supported a complaint.
What the policy covers
You can complain about any part of your KBC experience
This includes the quality, fairness, accessibility, communication or administration of the services listed below, as well as the way an earlier complaint was handled.
- Information, recruitment, eligibility and onboarding
- Initial assessment, recognition of prior learning and training plans
- Teaching, coaching, learning activities and progress reviews
- LMS access, systems, administration and communication
- Off-the-job training records, support and programme progress
- Equality, inclusion, learner support and reasonable adjustments
- Employer service, subcontracted activity and professional treatment
- Data handling, gateway and assessment preparation
Clear stages and timescales
How the complaints process works
We preserve your original submission, check immediate risk, issue a reference, confirm the issues and timetable, investigate proportionately and provide a reasoned written outcome.
1
Submit, acknowledge and triage
Within 2 working daysWe preserve your wording and attachments, check safeguarding and other urgent risks, confirm a safe contact method and any adjustment needs, allocate a reference and explain the next step. Urgent safeguarding or risk concerns are triaged on the same working day.
2
Optional informal resolution
Target: 5 working daysThis is used only where the matter is low risk, you agree, there is no significant power imbalance or conflict, and an early practical solution is suitable. You are not required to use this route for serious, unsafe or conflicted matters.
3
Stage 1: formal investigation
10 working daysThe Head of Complaints and Safeguarding confirms the issues, checks conflicts and appoints a competent investigator. Complex cases may take up to 20 working days; any delay is explained and updates are provided at least every 10 working days.
4
Stage 2: compliance review
Target: 15 working daysRequest this normally within 10 working days of the Stage 1 outcome. The Head of Compliance reviews procedure, independence, evidence, reasoning, remedy and implementation. The reviewer may vary the outcome, require further investigation or order a fresh decision.
5
Stage 3: final internal review
Target: 15 working daysRequest this normally within 10 working days of Stage 2 and identify the material concern that remains. The Chief Executive completes the final internal review. Where the Chief Executive is implicated, the Governance Board appoints a non-conflicted reviewer and decision-maker.
6
External escalation, where applicable
After internal completionThe final letter confirms that KBC's internal procedure is exhausted and explains the appropriate external route. DfE-funded post-16 complaints may then be taken to the Department for Education, normally within 12 months of the original issue.
Help us understand your concern
What to include when you submit
You do not need to use legal language or a particular form. Explain the concern in your own words and include as much of the following as you reasonably can.
- Your details or representativeYour name, whether someone is helping you, and a safe way for us to contact you. Anonymous complaints are considered where enough information is available.
- What happenedThe issue in your own words, including relevant dates, people, programme or service and what has already been tried.
- Evidence you want consideredRelevant emails, screenshots, LMS records, messages, documents, dates or witness details. Do not send more personal information than necessary.
- The outcome you are seekingFor example, an explanation, correction, restored access, support, apology, reasonable adjustment or another practical remedy.
- Safety and accessibility needsTell us about any safeguarding concern, confidentiality need, interpreter, advocate, accessible format or communication adjustment.
Named contacts and escalation
Who to contact at each stage
Use Stage 1 first unless the complaint concerns that role, an independence issue requires a direct Stage 2 route, or an urgent specialist procedure applies.
Tina Wright
Head of Complaints and Safeguarding. Receives general learner, apprentice and employer complaints, completes triage and allocates the case.
Nada Ibrahim
Head of Compliance. Reviews the Stage 1 process and outcome, or receives the matter directly where the Stage 1 owner is involved or compliance independence is required.
Amgad Badewi
Chief Executive. Conducts the final internal review after Stage 2, or where the Head of Compliance is conflicted. Governance appoints another reviewer where the Chief Executive is implicated.
Immediate welfare concern
Use this route for possible abuse, neglect, exploitation, radicalisation, self-harm, unsafe practice or immediate risk. Call 999 where there is immediate danger.
KBC Office
Use the general route where you need assistance, another format, a telephone conversation or help identifying the right procedure.
Registered office
You may submit a complaint in writing. Mark the envelope for the attention of the Head of Complaints and Safeguarding.
37-39 Maidstone Innovation Centre, Medical Campus, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5FY
Choose the right route
Some concerns need a specialist procedure
Where a concern contains more than one issue, KBC may run the relevant procedures in parallel so that safeguarding, legal, data or regulatory action is not delayed.
Safeguarding or immediate harm
Use the safeguarding route for possible harm, abuse, neglect, exploitation, self-harm, radicalisation or unsafe practice. A service or conduct complaint can remain open alongside the protective action.
Assessment or result challenge
An assessment decision or result challenge normally follows the relevant appeal or malpractice procedure. A complaint may still address service, communication or procedural failure outside the academic or assessment judgement itself.
Public-interest wrongdoing, fraud or concealment
These matters may be routed through the whistleblowing or counter-fraud procedure. The complaints route can still provide a remedy for any service failure experienced by the complainant.
Personal data incident
A suspected data breach follows KBC's data-breach response procedure so that containment and regulatory assessment are not delayed. Complaint remedies and communication are considered where appropriate.
Staff employment grievance
A personal employment grievance normally follows the staff grievance procedure. A qualifying public-interest concern may also be protected under the whistleblowing route.
Unsure which route applies?
Contact the Head of Complaints and Safeguarding or the KBC office. We will explain the route, preserve your original concern and identify any urgent parallel action.
Decisions and remedies
What the outcome may say
The written decision explains the evidence considered, findings, reasons, any remedy or corrective action, owners and dates, and the next review route.
Upheld
The complaint is established and an appropriate remedy or corrective action is identified.
Partly upheld
Some material elements are established; the decision distinguishes each issue and remedy.
Not upheld
The evidence does not establish the complaint; the outcome explains why and any learning or support still identified.
Inconclusive
The evidence is insufficient, but KBC identifies any protective, service or control action that remains appropriate.
Referred or outside scope
The matter follows the correct specialist procedure while necessary safeguarding and complaint records are maintained.
Possible remedies and improvements
Depending on the finding and what is lawful and proportionate, action may include:
- Apology or explanation
- Record correction
- Restored access or support
- Training delivery or reassignment
- Reasonable adjustment
- Refund where lawful
- Policy or system change
- Disciplinary referral
- Root-cause action and effectiveness testing
Your rights during the process
Accessibility, privacy and protection
Reasonable adjustments
You may request alternative formats, an interpreter or advocate, a different communication method, an extended opportunity to respond or another reasonable adjustment. You do not have to use the LMS where it creates a barrier or risk.
Confidentiality and records
Information is shared only where necessary for investigation, fairness, safeguarding, legal or regulatory duties. Detailed safeguarding records are kept separately in restricted storage.
Protection from retaliation
Any allegation that someone was disadvantaged or retaliated against because they complained or supported a complaint is separately logged, risk assessed and investigated.
Anonymous and represented complaints
Anonymous complaints are assessed where sufficient information exists. You may also ask an authorised representative, advocate or interpreter to support you.
After the internal process
External escalation for DfE-funded provision
After KBC's internal complaints procedure has been completed, a complainant about eligible Department for Education-funded post-16 provision may contact the DfE through its current complaints route or Customer Help Portal. The DfE normally expects contact within 12 months of the original issue and evidence that KBC's internal procedure has been exhausted.
Employment matters: the DfE does not normally decide disputes about an apprentice's employment contract. Depending on the issue, another route may include the relevant assessment or awarding organisation, local authority safeguarding, police, ICO, Acas, a court or another regulator.
Controlled policy details
Policy information
Provider: Kent Business College Ltd · Company No. 10367575 · UKPRN 10093689. This webpage is an accessible public summary. The controlled electronic copy and its approval/version record remain authoritative. A full copy can be requested from office@kentbusinesscollege.org.
We are ready to listen
Raise your concern today
Tell us what happened, what outcome would help and whether you need any safety, confidentiality or accessibility support. We will acknowledge your complaint and explain what happens next.
