Complaint reporting
At Dundee and Angus College we take all complaints seriously and each one received is treated with the attention and care that it deserves, and in line with our Complaints Policy and Procedure.
This is based on the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman’s (SPSO) Model Complaint Handling Procedure for the Further Education Sector. We routinely analyse the complaint figures, investigation outcomes and trends, using these as a tool for continuous improvement.
2024/2025
Quarter 1 of 2024/2025
The information below shows the complaints handled by Dundee and Angus College for Quarter 1 of the 2024/2025 academic year. The report examines collated data relating to complaints received within the period 1 August 2024 - 31 October 2024.
Q1 2024/25
| Total number of complaints received | 29 |
| % of total complaints not upheld | 58.6 |
| % of total complaints fully upheld | 27.5 |
| % of total complaints partially upheld | 10.3 |
| % of total complaints resolved | 3.4 |
| Number of Stage 1 complaints | 26 |
| Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 22 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 84.6 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 1 complaints | 4.6 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints not upheld | 53.8 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints fully upheld | 30.7 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints partially upheld | 11.5 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints resolved | 3.8 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints | 3 |
| Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 3 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 100 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 2 complaints | 7 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints not upheld | 100 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints fully upheld | 0 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints partially upheld | 0 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints resolved | 0 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints that were escalated from Stage 1 | 1 |
| % of escalated complaints closed within 20 working days | 100 |
| Average time in days to close escalated complaints | 9 |
| % of escalated complaints not upheld | 100 |
| % of escalated complaints fully upheld | 0 |
| % of escalated complaints partially upheld | 0 |
| % of escalated complaints resolved | 0 |
2023/2024
Complaints handled by Dundee and Angus College from 1 August 2023 – 31 July 2024
During the 2023-2024 academic year Dundee & Angus College received a total of 68 complaints representing a notable decrease from the 98 complaints recorded in the previous year, 2022-2023. The complaint rate for this year stands at 0.9 complaints per 1,000 students, a significant improvement compared to the 6 complaints per 1,000 students in the previous academic year.
Complaint Resolution
Out of the 68 complaints received:
- 21 complaints were fully upheld.
- 12 complaints were partially upheld.
Further breakdown:
- 56 complaints were handled at Stage 1, with 20 fully upheld and 11 partially upheld.
- 12 complaints escalated to Stage 2, of which 1 was fully upheld, and 2 were partially upheld.
- 8 of the Stage 2 complaints had been escalated from Stage 1, with 1 fully upheld and 2 partially upheld.
For further details please see the charts below and the D&A Annual Complaints Summary 2023-2024.
Total 2023/24, 68 complaints received:
| Total number of complaints received | 68 |
| % of total complaints not upheld | 48.5 |
| % of total complaints fully upheld | 30.9 |
| % of total complaints partially upheld | 17.6 |
| % of total complaints resolved | 2.9 |
| Number of Stage 1 complaints | 56 |
| Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 44 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 78.6 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 1 complaints | 4.0 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints not upheld | 42.9 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints fully upheld | 35.7 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints partially upheld | 19.6 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints resolved | 1.8 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints | 12.0 |
| Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 10.0 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 83.3 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 2 complaints | 15.9 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints not upheld | 66.7 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints fully upheld | 8.3 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints partially upheld | 16.7 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints resolved | 8.3 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints that were escalated from Stage 1 | 8 |
| % of escalated complaints closed within 20 working days | 100 |
| Average time in days to close escalated complaints | 15.8 |
| % of escalated complaints not upheld | 50.0 |
| % of escalated complaints fully upheld | 12.5 |
| % of escalated complaints partially upheld | 25.0 |
| % of escalated complaints resolved | 12.5 |
2022/2023
Complaints handled by Dundee and Angus College from 1 August 2022 – 31 July 2023
During the 2022-2023 academic year Dundee & Angus College received a total of 98 complaints.
This represents a decrease from the previous year 2021-2022, when 102 complaints were received.
It is notable the college received six complaints for every 1000 students during the year.
Complaint Resolution
Of the 98 complaints we received, 48 were fully upheld and three were partially upheld. A breakdown of these complaints includes:
- 71 complaints were Stage 1* with 37 upheld and one partially upheld.
- 27 complaints were Stage 2** of which twelve were upheld and one partially upheld.
- 11 of the Stage 2 complaints had been escalated from Stage 1, of which eight were upheld and one partially upheld.
For further details please see the charts below and the D&A Annual Complaints Summary 2022-2023.
Total 2022/23, 98 complaints received:
| Total number of complaints received | 98 |
| % of total complaints not upheld | 33.7 |
| % of total complaints upheld | 48.0 |
| % of total complaints partially upheld | 3.1 |
| % of total complaints resolved | 15.3 |
| Number of Stage 1 complaints | 71 |
| Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 65 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 91.5 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 1 complaints | 4.0 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints not upheld | 32.4 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints fully upheld | 52.1 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints partially upheld | 1.4 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints resolved | 15.5 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints | 27.0 |
| Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 26.0 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 96.3 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 2 complaints | 12.2 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints not upheld | 33.3 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints fully upheld | 44.4 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints partially upheld | 3.7 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints resolved | 14.8 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints that were escalated from Stage 1 | 11 |
| % of escalated complaints closed within 20 working days | 100 |
| Average time in days to close escalated complaints | 12.5 |
| % of escalated complaints not upheld | 9.1 |
| % of escalated complaints fully upheld | 72.7 |
| % of escalated complaints partially upheld | 9.1 |
| % of escalated complaints resolved | 9.1 |
2021/2022
Complaints handled by Dundee and Angus College from 1 August 2021 – 31 July 2022
During this year there were 102 complaints raised, an increase of 21 complaints from 2020/2021 where we received a total of 81.
67.6% of complaints were Stage 1* complaints with 94.2% being closed within 5 working days.
32.4% were Stage 2** complaints and 87.9% of these were closed within 20 working days. The average time to close a Stage 1 complaint was 3.7 days and for Stage 2 this was 14.5 days.
29.4% of all complaints were upheld, 7.8% were partially upheld, 15.7% were resolved and 47.1% were not upheld.
For further details please see the charts below and the Complaint Summary 2021 - 2022.
Total 2021/22, 102 complaints received:
| Total number of complaints received | 102 |
| % of total complaints upheld | 29.4 |
| % of total complaints partially upheld | 7.8 |
| % of total complaints resolved | 15.7 |
| % of total complaints not upheld | 47.1 |
| Number of Stage 1 complaints | 69 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints fully upheld | 30.4 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints partially upheld | 1.4 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints resolved | 17.4 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints not upheld | 50.7 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 94.2 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 1 complaints | 3.7 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints | 33 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints fully upheld | 27.3 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints partially upheld | 21.2 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints resolved | 12.1 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints not upheld | 39.4 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 87.9 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 2 complaints | 14.5 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints that were escalated from Stage 1 | 15 |
| % of escalated complaints fully upheld | 13.3 |
| % of escalated complaints partially upheld | 26.7 |
| % of escalated complaints resolved | 13.3 |
| % of escalated complaints not upheld | 46.7 |
| % of escalated complaints closed within 20 working days | 100 |
| Average time in days to close escalated complaints | 14.3 |
2020/2021
Complaints handled by Dundee and Angus College from 1 August 2020 – 31 July 2021
During this year there were 81 complaints raised, a slight increase of 5 complaints from 2019/2020 where we received a total of 76.
83% of complaints were Stage 1* complaints with 87% being closed within 5 working days.
17% were Stage 2** complaints and 79% of these were closed within 20 working days. The average time to close a Stage 1 complaint was 4 days and for Stage 2 this was 16.5 days.
38.3% of all complaints were upheld, 7.4% were partially upheld, 2.5% were resolved and 51.8% were not upheld.
Total 2020/21, 81 complaints received:
| Total number of complaints received | 81 |
| % of total complaints upheld | 38.3 |
| % of total complaints partially upheld | 7.4 |
| % of total complaints resolved | 2.5 |
| % of total complaints not upheld | 51.8 |
| Number of Stage 1 complaints | 67 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints fully upheld | 40.3 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints partially upheld | 4.5 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints resolved | 3.0 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints not upheld | 52.2 |
| % of Stage 1 complaints closed within 5 working days | 86.6 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 1 complaints | 4 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints | 14 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints fully upheld | 28.6 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints partially upheld | 21.4 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints resolved | 0 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints not upheld | 50.0 |
| % of Stage 2 complaints closed within 20 working days | 78.6 |
| Average time in days to close Stage 2 complaints | 16.5 |
| Number of Stage 2 complaints that were escalated from Stage 1 | 5 |
| % of escalated complaints fully upheld | 0 |
| % of escalated complaints partially upheld | 0 |
| % of escalated complaints resolved | 0 |
| % of escalated complaints not upheld | 100 |
| % of escalated complaints closed within 20 working days | 100 |
| Average time in days to close escalated complaints | 16.5 |
*Stage 1 Front-line resolution for straightforward complaint issues. These are handled by our staff who are closely involved with the concern raised. We aim to respond to Stage 1 complaints within 5 working days.
**Stage 2 Investigation of more serious or complex complaints or where the complainant is not satisfied with the response to a complaint at Stage 1. An Investigating Officer is identified to investigate and examine the facts in relation to the concern(s) raised. The outcome should be notified to the complainant within 20 working days.
Contact Us
Arbroath Campus: Quality Office, Dundee and Angus College, Keptie Road, Arbroath DD11 3EA
Kingsway Campus: Quality Office, Dundee and Angus College, Kingsway Campus, Old Glamis Road, Dundee DD3 8LE