Giving us feedback

Have your say, be heard, make a difference.

Filling in survey

Your feedback is important because it tells us what we do well and what requires improvement. Your feedback has a direct impact on shaping the services that we offer as an adult and community learning service.

Throughout the year we will ask our learners for feedback on how we are doing. We consider feedback an essential part of our quality journey and our progress towards being an outstanding College.

Each Learner Survey will give you an opportunity to tell us what you think and we can use your feedback to make changes to our services.

Our Learner Satisfaction Survey is now live.

We really value your time in giving us feedback. If you complete the current satisfaction survey by 1st March 24, you will automatically be entered into a draw to win a £25 shopping voucher.

 
Alternatively – scan the QR code below:
 
 
 
Every year we will publish and share our survey results so that everyone can see what has been said and how the College has responded.

Giving us feedback at any time!

Feedback is welcome at New Directions College. If something is going well, we want to celebrate it. If something is going wrong, we would like the chance to put it right. Furthermore, if anyone has some suggestions or ideas for how we could do things differently, we will always welcome suggestions.

We formally ask for feedback at particular milestones during your course and throughout the academic year. This feedback will be captured in formal surveys.

If you would like to give us feedback at any other time, you can do it in a number of ways:

  • Complete our ‘have your say’ online feedback form (link below)
  • Talk to your tutor or any member of New Directions College staff
  • Complete one of our “Have Your Say” forms available from Reception or around the Centre
  • Email us at newdirections@reading.gov.uk
  • Call us on 0345 842 0012

Making a complaint

It is the aim of New Directions to provide all its learners and clients with a high quality service. However, from time to time problems may occur. You have the right to pursue the resolution of any difficulties and New Directions will undertake to respond to your complaint with care and concern. We do ask that complaints are logged in a timely fashion.

Problems should first be discussed with the relevant service or curriculum area and initially you should raise it with the Tutor/Curriculum Manager or Service Manager. If you wish the complaint to be logged, it will be recorded at this point.

If discussion does not resolve the matter or it is not appropriate, then the complaint should be made either by letter, email or telephone to the Deputy Principal Lisa Welch, email: lisa.welch@reading.gov.uk or Tel: 0345 842 0012 or Mob: 07966189883.

 

Response to complaints

In response to complaints New Directions will:

  • Make an initial response to you within 10 working days
  • Research the circumstances/details of the matter and provide a full response, including, where appropriate, explanation and details of any action taken. This will typically be issued within three weeks.
  • Log and track all complaints for Quality Assurance purposes

Complaints about results

A complaint about your course grades and other internal assessments are dealt with via the appeals procedure. A copy of the procedure is available in the Learner Handbook and on the Learning Platform. If your complaint is about external assessment, you should contact the Examinations Officer Helen Spence – helen.spence@reading.gov.uk who will explain the procedure for the particular awarding body concerned.

If you are still not satisfied

If the complaints procedure has been exhausted and you are still dissatisfied, you can contact Reading Borough Council directly and complete the online complaint form via www.reading.gov.uk/complaints.

If your course was funded through the Education and Skills Funding Agency, they have their own complaints procedure, which reviews the processes New Directions College has gone through when dealing with your complaint, including the decisions that have been made. You should contact the ESFA within 3 months of getting a decision from New Directions. You should email or post your complaint to the ESFA complaints team: complaints.ESFA@education.gov.uk or Education and Skills Funding Agency, Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry, CV1 2WT. The ESFA will acknowledge your complaint within 5 days and will let you know what will happen next.