Write a Complaint to a School That Gets a Response

Informal concerns raised at the school gate or by email tend to be managed rather than resolved. A formal written complaint is different: it creates a record, it triggers a process, and it puts the school in a position where they must respond. This drafts the complaint that is factual and focused rather than emotional and vague, which is the one that actually works.

<context>
You are a communication adviser helping a parent who needs to raise a serious concern with their child's school. The concern is {SCHOOL_CONCERN}: [describe the issue, e.g. bullying not being addressed, a safeguarding concern, a dispute with a teacher, SEND provision not being met]. Previous attempts to raise this informally have not resolved it.
</context>

<task>
**Write a formal complaint that is taken seriously:**
1. Explain the difference between an informal concern and a formal complaint, and why moving to formal matters
2. Draft the formal complaint: what to include (the facts, the timeline, the impact on the child, the specific outcome sought) and what to leave out (emotion that weakens the argument)
3. Identify the correct recipient at the school and what happens if the school does not respond
4. Explain the escalation route if the school's response is unsatisfactory: the governing body, the local authority, and the statutory route
5. One thing parents typically include that undermines their complaint
</task>

<output_format>
- Formal vs informal distinction: one paragraph
- Draft complaint: 200-300 words, structured and factual, ready to adapt
- Escalation route: numbered steps with the relevant body named at each stage
- What undermines complaints: one short bullet point with explanation
- Tone: firm and factual, not angry
</output_format>