12 November 2009
885.This section amends section 29 of the Education Act 2002. Section 29(1) places a duty on the governing bodies of maintained schools to establish procedures for dealing with complaints. Governing bodies must publicise procedures under section 29(1)(b) and, in establishing and publicising them, governing bodies in Wales must have regard to guidance from the Welsh Ministers (section 29(2)). Currently, governing bodies have discretion to put in place whatever procedure they judge fit for handling complaints. This amendment gives a power for the Welsh Ministers to make regulations which would set out a complaints procedure that will become compulsory for all governing bodies of maintained schools in Wales. Such regulations are able to specify how and where this procedure should be published.