General Information
The role of the designated teacher
Glossary of Terms
Customer Care Standards
Hertfordshire County Council is committed to providing excellent customer service. The Strategic Management Board and Elected Members have agreed a consistent set of Customer Care Standards for the whole organisation. The standards cover every service interaction we have with our customers, whether it’s face to face, over the telephone or in written correspondence. They represent our aspirations for customer service and are based on best practice from within our departments and other high performing authorities.
As schools, you are customers for many staff within CSF and these standards will affect schools as they will govern all interactions between colleagues and customers alike . They will also affect contact we have with parents/carers and children. It may be that in the absence of a similar set of principles, your school might wish to adopt the customer care standards. Over the coming months we will be working with all staff to incorporate these standards into our every day working lives, and will measure our performance against them.
If you already have a similar set of standards in place for your school, how does this document complement it, and is there anything we might learn from your experiences? How does your school value, and how have you helped to promote good levels of customer service?
You can view the Customer public-facing version of the standards at the following link:
The good practice guide for staff can be found at:
If you have any questions or comments about this please contact:
Customer.focus@hertscc.gov.uk
Effective Use of Email
Guidance for making effective use of email between CSF and school staffs
Handling Conflict with Visitors 
As the first part of a programme of advice and guidance to be issued
to schools regarding the handling of the conflict with visitors to schools,
attached are sample letters notifying visitors of their unacceptable behaviour.
The three letters attached are available from Hertfordshire schools
only and cover the following:
- warning a visitor that their conduct on a given date was unacceptable
and that any further unacceptable behaviour could lead to them being
banned from the school premises
- Word97, 21kb/1 page, 2/5/02, warning_let.doc
- a second letter banning a visitor from the premises following further
unacceptable behaviour;
- Word97, 22kb/1 page, 2/5/02, barring_let.doc
- a third letter to cover the eventuality of a visitor's conduct being
sufficiently severe that they be banned from school premises without
the initial warning letter;
- Word97, 21kb/1 page, 2/5/02, serious_conduct_let.doc
Prior to issuing any of the above letters it is important that Headteachers
contact the Education Solicitor in the County Solicitor's office on 01992
555 520 seeking advice as to whether letter is appropriate under the particular
circumstances.
Parental and Pupil Access to School Records
The County Secretary's Department has issued up-dated guidance for schools
regarding access by parents and pupils to school records. This guidance
has been issued to comply with the Education (Pupil Information)(England)
Regulations 2000 and the changes to access to information governed by
the Data Protection Act 1998.
Personnel Guide for Schools
This manual is intended for Schools use, in relation to personnel issues.
The manual is also available in hardcopy (in two volumes) and floppy disk
format.
There are sections of the guide that appear to be out of date. However,
please note that sections of the guide are in the process of being revised
and we hope to distribute updates quarterly.
For queries regarding:
The contents and distribution of the Personnel Guide, please contact:
Rachel Hurst
Tel: 01992 555841
School-based Complaints Procedure
Revised guidelines have been issued, including an explanation of the
legal framework surrounding complaints. A model procedure for adoption
by governing bodies is included. This sets out advice on the three stages
of complaint and includes detailed guidance on the conduct of governors'
complaint panel hearings. In addition, there are model letters and leaflets
for parents that can be adapted and personalised by the school. The information
that CSF sends to parents is also included. The policy is available on
Herts Direct at:
Changing School Session Times
If a school wishes to change any of the times for the start , the finish,
and also the lunchtime they need to follow the Local Authority's Protocol.
A copy of this is sent to all school s annually via the Courier.
Schools must start the process during the winter or Spring term for
implementation the following academic year.
Legally it is the Governors of the school who have to implement the
procedures. Please also be aware that if decisions made cause extra
costs to the Local Authority -ie transport -the school will be liable
for these extra costs.
See 'the Scheme for Financing Schools' Section 6, paragraph
6.2.10
Further advice is available from Stephen Hozier Tel. 01462 -704376,
or visit the HertsDirect website.
Safe use of Images in Hertfordshire Schools
Increasingly, technology is making it easier to use pictures and images
in printed materials or on the web. Along with this freedom comes the
responsibility to protect vulnerable individuals. This document is issued
to ensure that the safety of children is not compromised when using images
in schools.
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