Few things drain a head's energy like a long, detailed complaint arriving on a Friday evening, followed by a subject access request (SAR) on Saturday morning. A recent post in the HeadteacherChat Facebook group struck a nerve. A head described a parent complaint and SAR, written with the help of AI, that left them questioning years of working at full capacity and whether they could keep going until 60. It drew a large response, with many leaders saying they felt the same. Here is what people shared, in case it helps.

You are not the only one

Many heads said they recognised the exhaustion. Leaders mentioned Friday night complaints followed by weekend SARs, repeat requests from the same family within a term, and the effect on time with their own families and on the work that improves teaching. Some said constant negativity was making them feel like a shell of who they used to be, particularly in areas where heads are blamed on social media for problems well outside school. Leaders in small schools said everything comes back to them.

If that is where you are now, please talk to someone. Education Support runs a free, confidential helpline on 08000 562 561, where a qualified counsellor can offer immediate emotional support. If things feel like too much, Samaritans are free to call at any time on 116 123.

Handling subject access requests

Heads shared a few approaches that kept SARs manageable:

  • Acknowledge the request quickly and say when you will reply. One head does this by phone and follows up by email.
  • Ask what information the person actually wants. This can sometimes narrow the request, and your data protection officer (DPO) can make the contact for you.
  • Ask your DPO to pull the information together, so that your job is to proofread and check it does not contain other people's data. Redacting safeguarding records such as CPOMS was described as the biggest hassle.
  • Use the time you are allowed. The usual deadline is one calendar month from receiving the request, and it can be extended for complex requests, so check the detail with your DPO.
  • Keep searches reasonable and proportionate, and keep a note of what you searched and why.

One head said parents have little they can do if they think a response is incomplete. In practice, a requester can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, so a clear record of your search is worth having. One school now sends SAR responses on paper to make them harder to feed into AI. Check that with your DPO first, as people who ask electronically are generally entitled to an electronic reply.

A tool built for SARs: Fisar

Fisar is a HeadteacherChat partner that automates subject access requests for schools and trusts. Its Fisar for Schools service is described as a way of managing SARs across connected school systems, with review and redaction tools. By its own description, it collates the records, applies redactions for third-party and safeguarding information, and produces a response ready to send, with every step logged so there is an audit trail if a parent or the ICO ever asks how a request was handled. Fisar says the aim is to cut days of office, DPO and SLT time per request down to minutes, with no specialist training needed, for single schools and multi-academy trusts.

As with any tool, check how it handles personal data, how redactions are reviewed before anything is sent, and whether it fits your DPO's advice and your procurement rules. Using a tool does not remove the school's responsibility for the response. You can read more on the HeadteacherChat partner page and the Fisar for Schools product page.

Fisar is a HeadteacherChat partner. HeadteacherChat may receive a fee or commission from partnerships or purchases made through our links.

Handling long, AI-written complaints

Some heads have started using AI on their side. One asked for bullet points and a short summary of a 30-page stage 2 complaint and said it saved hours of unpicking every point. Another uses Copilot to build chronologies. If you do this, use a tool your school or trust has approved for personal data, and check the summary against the original, because the complaint itself is what you are responding to.

A few leaders are looking at changing their complaints policy, for example with a word limit or a set form. One had heard of schools asking for handwritten complaints on a form only available from the office. Before you go down that route, check your procedure against the DfE's guidance on school complaints and your Equality Act duties. Parents with literacy needs, disabilities or English as an additional language still need a fair way to complain.

Some heads use firm lines about whether the school is the right fit for a family. Take care with that approach. Stick to your complaints policy, and take advice from your trust or local authority before suggesting a family looks elsewhere.

A former head who now handles complaints for a local authority suggested setting expectations early, explaining how complaints are handled in school and when behaviour may be treated as unreasonable or vexatious. They pointed to a Parentkind guide for parents on working with schools. Another head is thinking about creating a communications role to deal with complaints and SARs.

When a complaint goes to someone else first

One head described a complaint that went to Ofsted, was passed to the local authority, and led to a meeting being arranged in school through the chair of governors. The head had no details and was left waiting for weeks. It is worth asking the local authority what the complaint is about and when the meeting will happen, and agreeing with your chair how you will be kept informed.

Keeping perspective

Several replies were about holding on to the bigger picture. One head keeps a line in mind: even Machu Picchu gets one-star reviews. Another reminded the group that the school is getting it right for hundreds of other pupils. One leader described a parent who took the same complaint to the local authority, governors, the DfE, Ofsted and the police, and every one of them supported the school. A fair process usually does its job.

Thinking about the longer term

Many replies were about leaving. Some heads had taken early retirement and said they were happier and healthier. Others are planning an exit by a certain age or considering phased retirement, because of the weight of dealing with complaints rather than because of the children. It is a big and personal decision. If you are weighing it up, a pension forecast and a conversation with a coach or trusted colleague are sensible places to start, and you do not have to decide in the middle of a hard week.

If you have a policy wording, script or process that has helped with complaints or SARs, please share it in the community. Other leaders are looking for exactly that.