Complaints policy and procedure

Who can complain

Anyone — applicants, learners, work-seekers, employers, members of the public, and people whose information we hold. Complaining will never affect how we treat you. You can ask someone to complain for you.

How to complain

Use whatever way suits you:

• email [to be confirmed: complaints email address];
• the contact form;
• phone [to be confirmed: telephone number];
• write to [to be confirmed: postal address for letters and rights requests];
• tell any member of staff, who will record it and pass it to the complaints manager ([to be confirmed: complaints manager (name or role)]) the same day.

We make reasonable adjustments to help you complain (for example taking your complaint by phone and writing it down for you).

Our timescales

If we need longer — for example because the matter is complex — we will tell you why and keep you updated.

Complaints about your personal information

From 19 June 2026 the Data Protection Act 2018 (section 164A, added by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025) requires us to have a way for you to complain about how we use your personal information. You can complain by any of the methods above, including electronically. We will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days of receiving it, take appropriate steps to look into it without undue delay, keep you informed of progress and tell you the outcome. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office — ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, 0303 123 1113. The ICO usually expects you to have complained to us first.

Assessment decisions

To challenge the marking of an assessment or a decision about your progress, use the Assessment appeals policy first.

Safeguarding and whistleblowing

If your concern is about someone's safety, contact our safeguarding team immediately (Safeguarding policy) — do not wait for the complaints process. Staff raising concerns about wrongdoing can use the Whistleblowing policy.

If you are still not satisfied

After stage 2 you can take your complaint further, depending on what it is about:

• Funded training: the funding body or lead provider that funds your place — we will give you their details ([to be confirmed: funding contract or subcontract (funding body, lead provider and contract reference)]). For a Skills Bootcamp, the Department for Education expects providers to have a complaints process and may ask to see our records.
• Ofsted: if we are inspected by Ofsted as a further education and skills provider, you can raise a concern about the provider with Ofsted — [to be confirmed: whether Ofsted inspects Changing Lanes].
• Personal information: the Information Commissioner's Office (above).
• Recruitment (jobs service): the Fair Work Agency, which enforces the rules for employment agencies.
• Consumer rights (private-pay learners): Citizens Advice consumer helpline for advice. We will tell you in writing whether we use an alternative dispute resolution provider — [to be confirmed: ADR provider, if any].
• Ombudsman: we are not a member of an ombudsman scheme unless stated here: [to be confirmed: accreditations and memberships held (for example Ofsted registration, JAUPT centre approval, REC membership)].

Records and learning

We keep a record of each complaint, how it was handled and the outcome, and share records with a funding body on request (within 5 working days for Skills Bootcamps). We review complaints regularly to improve our service.

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