Have I got a case over serious bullying at my daughters high school?

[mitchy6921]

My 11 year old daughter was bullied in school by a 11+ group/gang of girls. A smaller group 6+from the gang of followed her home shouting abuse at her. Then the gang attacked her in an walkway through to where we live. She had injuries including a black eye, bruising, bleeding of nose and ear
The school have taken statements only from the girls which they have been able to identify and have informed me that it is not the school's problem and if i try to make a crimial case i will not get anywhere as there were no witness and the gang have said that my daughter injuries were self inflicted!! I informed the police and i took my daughter to see the GP who recorded the incident. My daughter has since been threatend to be stabbed and her face to be sliced up by a member of this group and although a teacher heard this statement, the child as only been put on report. Victim support have helped but i would appreciate advise please.

[ojread2]

What did the police say?

[chelle7272]

How awful for your daughter.
What advice have you had from the Police and Victim Support? Who have you spoken to at the school?

[ummmm]

The schools attitude is unacceptable.

[chelle7272]

Yes it's appalling.

[vallaw]

Approach your local Council children's services department, which is the local education authority. All schools are required to have an anti-bullying policy and the council is required to ensure it is effective, if it is to attain a satisfactory Ofsted inspection rating. They will make the school take this a bit more seriously.

[joko]

the schools attitude does seem a bit rotten...i am amazed that on hearing this threat the teacher only put them on report... they should have been expelled....however as the assault didnt happen in school grounds it isnt their fault or responsibility unfortunately - they cannot monitor or control kids out of school ... however what happens in there, is...so they should be doing all they can to support and assist you sort this out.
id make a formal complaint and outline what you expect them to do to stop this...threaten to go to the papers too (dont because the bullies will probably only get worse)

could you move to another school? i know you shouldnt have to, but surely its better than risking them doing worse... and she only 11 so should be able to make friends.

[Old_Geezer]

Can only wish you the best of luck with your case. It seems to me to be clearly one that has to be answered, both by the actions of the school, and by actions of the police. Granted something that happens out of school time and premises may be something the school has limited control over, but that doesn't mean they should just ignore it, and it is particularly bad that they should pressurise you into not taking it further.

(Ask the school if, when someone is muggged, the police tell the victim to go away because they have no witnesses and they may have mugged themselves.)

[chelle7272]

The school ARE responsible as the bullying is taking place at school (see the first sentence in the post).
They are reposnsible for making sure she can leave the premises safely, which she clearly could not. Also the teacher has witnessed a statement.

i would echo vallaw's suggestion of going to the LEA, but was wondering what advice agencies had given about this in order to go about things in the best way.

[ncalcraft]

I am appalled to read this mitchy, I have an 11 year old daughter myself, if this happened to her I would remove her from the school immediately, these animal bullies should be expelled.

The school where my daughter attends has a zero tollerance to bullying and I feel confident the school would have had the police in and the girls would be gone.

As for a teacher overhearing a serious threat like having her face sliced open, the child should have been suspended.

My suggestion is if it is as serious as you write, remove your daughter, re speak to the police and call social services. My Goodness shout until you get results. She is your princess and deserves to have a happy well adjusted SAFE education.

Loads of good luck. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[ncalcraft]

Oh and on reading previous comments about her being attacked after school, you said they followed her home, they must have been wearing the school uniform therefore were representing the school and are expected to behave in a controlled manner. The school in my eyes are involved and should step in.

[Halifaxmum]

Mitch - I've been through a similar experience with Halifax son. He was bullied in school, beaten up, kicked and punched in the corridors. The school stated there was no CCTV as it had somehow not recorded at the time of the incidents. They took little action against the perpetrators.

This went on for a couple of months and I decided to take H son out of school completely. I later appealed to the best state school in the area, explained the circumstances to the appeal board and got him in! He has now been there for 2 years and is happy. Would this be an option for you?

As far as the assault goes, I would definitely go to the police and give them all the details. If this had been an adult, no-one would question it.

[Mosaic]

Ask for a meeting with the headteacher - do not be fobbed off with any of their monkeys, deal with the organ grinder. If you and partner can go s much the better, Ask at the meeting for a copy of the school's anti-bullying policy (they cannot refuse to give you this) and the behaviour policy. Ask what actions the school has taken re. the threats made in a teacher's hearing - ask the headteacher if they would feel content with this had their child been threatened in this way. Make notes (hence two of you) all the way through the meeting. Tell the headteacher that you believe the school is failing in its duty of care towards your child, and ask if they are content with this. Ask for assurance that this care will be properl given and make a record of the head's response.
Go through the anti-bullying and behaviour policies at home and highlight the points that show where your daughter has been let down ie the policy has not been followed or is failing.
Next step: contact head of governors and outline case simply, explaining that you are concerned that school is not exercising duty of care to your child.
Meet with a no claims-no fee lawyer and talk about your case.
This school's cage needs rattling firmly, good luck and look after your daughter.
Worst case scenario, you need to educate your daughter at home and you will need compensating for the cost of private tuition in key subjects, plus for the psychological trauma of the bullying. Do not put up with this and insist all the way on your family's rights being respected.

[joko]

the school is responsible for the bullying within the school, and certainly needs to deal with that - and i would kick up a massive fuss about that - they have a duty to protect your child ... but they cannot be blamed for everything a child does out of school!
I am talking about the actual attack here - it was out of school property and out of school time.... thats why they waited until after school to do it...
the school looks after children until 3.30 or so, then it is down to the parents...

if an employee of mine went to the pub after work wearing my work uniform and ended up glassing someone... would that be my fault? would i be sued? or expected to sort it all out?... no... because out of hours and hes not under work rules.... i may deal with it in my own way like sack him or something... but i am not to blame for his actions.

how exacltly were the school supposed to have stopped the attack happening? no amount of school intervention would have stopped them outside of school.

[joko]

just a thought, get her an attack alarm to carry, so should they manage to corner her again, the noise will probably make them run away

[ncalcraft]

The schools anti bullying policy should be implemented to a degree where a child should feel safe in or out of the school, the school may not be held accountable for what occurs out of school time but they have a duty to be involved when one of their pupils is attacked by other pupils even if travelling to and from school, the school, if they could not expell the gang, should certainly enforce a collection of the bullies by their parents, failing that at our local high school a known bully would be held back in the building until any potential victim is well away from the school. You might be well advised to arrange your daughter to be met from school by an adult too. Sounds to me like the school is failing badly and it is certainly not good enough.

[AlBags]

I think you need to make a LOT of noise in complaints regarding the school's behavior in your case.
Terrible case handling by the school.
I would have thought pupils involved should be suspended while police were called and case investigated.

[CreamSoda]

You need to go to the police. These vicious thugs will only get worse as they get older. The police will investigate and arrest them, they will be given a reprimand more than likely owning to their age, but it will be on their record so if they do it again it gets more serious. Please dont leave this with the school, they sound useless.