Staff Grievance Policy and Procedures

LoveSpring Nursery School - Fair Resolution of Workplace Concerns

Introduction

LoveSpring Nursery School is committed to creating a positive and supportive working environment where all staff feel valued and respected. This grievance policy provides a clear and fair framework for addressing workplace concerns, ensuring that every employee has the opportunity to raise issues without fear of victimisation or repercussion.

As an early years provider serving children aged 6 months to 5 years at our Coventry location (CV1 5HA), we recognize that maintaining positive staff relationships is essential to providing outstanding care and education.

1. Policy Aims

Our Commitment to Fairness

This policy aims to:

Enable employees to raise workplace concerns safely and confidentially
Ensure all grievances are dealt with fairly, thoroughly, and objectively
Protect staff from victimisation after raising legitimate concerns
Provide clear procedures for resolving workplace issues
Maintain positive working relationships and staff morale
Comply with employment law and ACAS best practice

2. Legal Framework

2.1 Legislative Requirements

This policy operates within the framework of:

Employment Rights Act 1996
Equality Act 2010
ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
Employment Act 2002
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework 2024
UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018

2.2 ACAS Compliance

Our procedures follow ACAS best practice, ensuring:

Fair and impartial treatment of all parties
Reasonable timescales for each stage
Right to be accompanied at formal meetings
Confidential handling of sensitive information
Appropriate resolution and follow-up actions

3. Definitions and Scope

3.1 What is a Grievance?

Definition	Examples	Exclusions
A concern, problem or complaint raised by an employee about their employment	Working conditions, relationships, bullying, discrimination, health and safety	Non-employee concerns, redundancy, fixed-term contract non-renewal

3.2 Policy Scope

Coverage and Exclusions

This policy applies to:

All permanent and temporary employees
Full-time and part-time staff
Apprentices and trainees

This policy does not apply to:

Volunteers, parents, or external parties (covered by Complaints Policy)
Redundancy dismissals
Non-renewal of fixed-term contracts
Collective grievances (separate procedure)
Capability or performance issues (separate policy)

4. Roles and Responsibilities

4.1 Key Personnel

Role	Responsibilities	Contact
Line Manager	First point of contact for informal resolution (unless subject of grievance)	Individual managers
Nursery Manager	Oversees formal stage, appoints investigating officer and panel	[Manager's Name]
Chair of Governors	Manages grievances involving Nursery Manager, appoints independent governor	[Chair's Name]
Investigating Officer	Independent fact-finding and evidence collection	Appointed as needed
Grievance Panel	Hears formal grievances and makes decisions (minimum 2 people)	Appointed as needed

4.2 Staff Rights and Support

Employee Entitlements

Right to be accompanied by work colleague or trade union representative
Protection from victimisation or discrimination
Confidential handling of sensitive information
Reasonable adjustments for disabilities
Translation services if required
Access to counselling support if needed

5. Grievance Procedures

5.1 Informal Stage

Initial Resolution Approach

Most grievances can be resolved informally through:

Discussion: Private meeting with line manager (or their manager if involved)
Exploration: Open discussion of concerns and potential solutions
Mediation: Consider informal mediation if appropriate
Agreement: Work towards mutually acceptable resolution
Follow-up: Check resolution is working after agreed period

Expected resolution: Most cases resolved within 5 working days

Escalation: Proceed to formal stage if unresolved or too serious for informal handling

5.2 Formal Stage

Stage	Process	Timeline
Written Submission	Complete grievance form (Appendix 1) and submit to appropriate manager	Within 10 working days of informal stage
Appointment	Nursery Manager appoints investigating officer and grievance panel	Within 3 working days
Investigation	Independent fact-finding, evidence collection, interviews	Reasonable timeframe
Formal Meeting	Grievance hearing with right to accompaniment	Within 7 working days of submission

5.3 Formal Meeting Procedure

Hearing Process

Employee presents their case and desired resolution
Management responds to the grievance
Opportunity for questions and clarification
Companion may address the hearing and confer with employee
Panel may ask questions of all parties
Adjournment for decision consideration

Companion Rights: May address hearing, sum up case, respond to views, confer during hearing. Cannot answer questions for employee or prevent case presentation.

5.4 Decision and Outcome

Action	Process	Timeline
Deliberation	Panel considers evidence and makes decision	Reasonable period post-hearing
Written Outcome	Detailed decision letter with reasons and actions	Within 7 working days
Implementation	Agreed actions implemented and monitored	As specified in outcome
Appeal Information	Clear explanation of appeal rights and process	Included in outcome letter

5.5 Appeals Process

Appeal Procedure

Submission: Written appeal stating specific grounds, within 7 working days
Appointment: Independent appeal panel appointed (minimum 2 people)
Hearing: Appeal meeting scheduled within 7 working days of submission
Consideration: Focus on appeal grounds, not full re-hearing (except exceptional circumstances)
Outcome: Final written decision within 7 working days of hearing

Right to Accompaniment: Same rights apply at appeal stage

Final Decision: Appeal panel decision is conclusive

6. Overlapping Procedures

6.1 Managing Concurrent Issues

Situation	Approach	Considerations
Grievance during disciplinary	May suspend disciplinary to consider grievance implications	Assess impact on fairness of disciplinary process
Related grievance and disciplinary	May address issues simultaneously within disciplinary	Ensure fair hearing of both matters
Multiple grievances	Consider combining related grievances	Maintain efficiency while ensuring fair hearing
Cross-party grievances	Separate but coordinated handling	Prevent conflict of interest, ensure impartiality

7. Record Keeping

7.1 Documentation Standards

Record Type	Retention Period	Access
Meeting Minutes	Confirmed as accurate record of discussions	Secure storage, limited access
Grievance Forms	Duration of process plus 6 months	Confidential personnel files
Investigation Materials	As needed for process, then secure disposal	Investigating officer and panel only
Outcome Letters	6 years from case closure	Personnel files, limited management access

7.2 Data Protection Compliance

All grievance records are handled in accordance with:

UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 requirements
Nursery privacy notices and data protection policy
Secure storage and appropriate retention periods
Limited access to authorized personnel only
Right to subject access requests

8. Monitoring and Review

8.1 Policy Management

Annual policy review by management and governors
Regular monitoring of grievance cases and outcomes
Anonymous staff feedback on grievance process effectiveness
Annual reporting to Governors on grievance activity
Continuous improvement based on case learning and staff feedback
Benchmarking against sector best practice

Appendix 1: Staff Grievance Notification Form

Grievance Submission Form

Name:	_________________________________________
Job Title:	_________________________________________	Department:	_________________________________________
Nature of Grievance:
Please provide a full description of your grievance including relevant facts, dates, and names of individuals involved:
Informal Stage Details:
Date first raised informally:		_________________________________________
Person raised with:		_________________________________________
Action taken at informal stage and outcome:
Desired Resolution:
Please state the outcomes you are seeking and actions you would like taken to resolve the situation:
Would you like to explore mediation?		Yes □ No □
Do you wish to be accompanied at the meeting?		Yes □ No □
If yes, companion's name and position:		_________________________________________
Signature:	_________________________	Date:	_________________________

Submit completed form to: Your line manager or, if grievance involves them, to the Nursery Manager

Contact Information

Nursery Manager: [Manager's Name]

HR Contact: [HR Contact Name]

LoveSpring Nursery School: 8 Albert St, Coventry, CV1 5HA

Telephone: +44 (0)24 1234 5678

Email: admin@lovespringschool.com

Chair of Governors: [Chair's Name]

Approved by: Mrs

Last reviewed on: 01/09/2025

Next review due by: 30/08/2026

Signed: _________________________

Position: Nursery Manager, LoveSpring Nursery School