When something goes wrong at school, your protective instincts are instantly on red alert.

The urge to race round to the school and declare war can be overwhelming.

Act in haste...
... repent at leisure! While anger is understandable, allow yourself a short space to cool down. Giving free rein to your emotions could sour relations with the school and make things worse for your child.

On the other hand, it's best to raise a problem with the school soon after it arises - don't leave it until you are at the end of your tether.

Go by the book
Take notes and keep a record of incidents, with dates. Start by talking to your child's class teacher even if you think the teacher is the problem. At worst, you'll be able to confirm your suspicions and at best, the problem will be resolved almost immediately. If you're not satisfied, move up the hierarchy. Don't be tempted to 'go straight to the top' - you'll only be referred back down again and antagonise people in the process. Ask about the complaints procedure (most schools will have one) and all schools must have an explicit policy for dealing with bullying.

Talking it over
It's usually the deputy, not the head who deals with complaints. When you arrange a meeting with a teacher or deputy head, go well armed with questions, times and dates. Ask yourself what you want out of the meeting. Would a simple apology do, or are you seeking a specific action? Consider taking somebody neutral with you to 'listen in' - they can offer helpful, objective feedback afterwards.

Getting it sorted
How you deal with your problem, and how others deal with it, depends partly on the nature of the complaint. According to the Advisory Centre for Education, most of their enquiries are to do with bullying, special needs, admissions and exclusions. Each of these issues involves a different procedure but generally speaking, if you're not satisfied with the response of the head or deputy, the next step is to make a formal complaint (usually a letter) to the governing body. Your record of dates, incidents and conversations will come in useful.

Higher authority
If the school is a Community (state) school, you might also want to let the local authority know what's going on. The local authority is the teachers' employer (teachers in Foundation and Voluntary-aided schools are employed by the governing body). If you believe a crime has been committed, such as assault, sexual abuse or theft, then the police or social services must be involved but keep the school informed.

Last resort
Your last resort is to appeal to the Secretary of State under the 1996 Education Act (sections 496/497) if you have grounds for believing that the school has behaved unreasonably or illegally. Sometimes it's possible to seek a judicial review if you believe the school has failed in its duty to your child - this is a legal procedure and you would need a solicitor's advice.

If the complaint is about special needs (providing you've exhausted the school's procedures), you can appeal to the special educational needs tribunal, while complaints about exclusions or admissions can be heard by independent panels.

Remember that children are often excruciatingly embarrassed and anxious when their parents complain. Obviously, problems such as bullying must be taken very seriously, but beware of being so heavy-handed that your child is afraid to mention a problem again.

Where to go for more iformation?
The Advisory Centre for Education offers advice on many topics, including bullying, special educational needs, school admission appeals and can send you an information pack on exclusion.
ACE General Advice Line: 0808 800 5793
ACE Exclusion Line: 020 7704 9822

For official information and contact details, look at the DfES site where the information can be found under general health and welfare.