Communication

At Innovate Multi academy Trust (iMAT), we recognise that good communication is much more than the exchange of information. It is through effective and interactive communication that information is transmitted, understanding is developed and shared, trust is built, confidentiality respected and action coordinated.

All schools within the trust communicate with parents using a variety of methods. Some of these are for information only, while others will allow for two-way communication. Wherever possible, we prefer to speak directly to parents face to face. This alleviates any misunderstandings and will often mean issues, concerns or queries can be addressed promptly.

Response Times

Urgent messages should be relayed to the school office via telephone as teaching staff won’t be able to read and respond to messages during teaching hours (8.40am to 3.30pm).

The trust believes that supporting staff with their wellbeing is crucial if we are to get the best of them for our children. Therefore, we encourage them to practise ‘quiet hours’. This doesn't mean they are not working, but that we don’t expect them to have contact with parents, pupils or school leaders after 5pm or at the weekend, unless this has been pre-arranged (such as for parent consultation meetings, training or workshops and residential trips).

Staff will aim to acknowledge the receipt of messages from parents (whether via Class Dojo, letter or email) within two working days. However, a full response may take up to ten working days in some cases.

Please see our home-school communication policy for further information.

Complaints

We believe that our trust provides a good education for all our children, and that school leaders and all staff work very hard to build positive relationships with all parents and carers. However, the trust also has procedures in place to meet its statutory obligations when responding to complaints from parents of pupils at the school, and others. The flowchart below outlines our trust complaints procedure. Further information, and a complaints form, can be found in our complaints policy.