Meetings (tips)

If you make a complaint or appeal, you will probably meet with the school or authority to try to resolve the situation. You may find the following advice helpful.

• Preparation: make sure you have all the information well in advance, and take time to read and understand it. Use sticky notes to mark useful pages in the papers or books.
• You should have access to any papers or documents well before a meeting. If the school or authority give you copies of papers that they wish to refer to in the meeting, you can ask for time out from the meeting to read the papers.
• Make a list of your questions and tick each one off as it is answered.
• Take a supportive friend or relative, or a supporter from a voluntary organisation. The authority officers should be able to suggest voluntary organisations that can offer help and advice.
• Take notes, and don’t be afraid to ask for things to be repeated or explained. A supportive friend could take notes for you, so that you can concentrate on the meeting.