Worried about bullies taking sons lunch money

[spurs12345]

My son is in year 7 at school. He gets an allowance of £5 a day to cover drinks/snacks and lunch meal at school. Lately though he has been coming home really hungry. He said recently that older boys are taking away his money. Spoke to the Head but they are still doing it. What more can I do?

[isitmidnightalready]

NO experience of this, but the head needs to sort it out. If he won't / can't then tell him you will ask the police to sort out the daily theft. I am appalled for your poor son.

Can you prepay for lunches so that he has less money to steal, or would that not help. This must be terrifing for your son. Other people must be witnessing this, and doing nothing. Poor lad. IMO the head shoudl make all teachers aware and they should be looking out for occasions when the older lads are around your son and stepping in at that stage. Every time. until the older kids realise that they can't bully him in this way any more.

$5 seems a lot to me for lunch and snacks - is it the same amount as his classmates get? Can he survive on less? If so, he wil be of less interest to the bullies. Canyou make other arrangements for luch fo rnow to break the habit of them nicking his cash. I have no experience of this - it is only my gut reaction as the mother of a Yr 7 pupil. I think your son is very brave and it is good that he is able to tell you about it.

Good luck.

[barmbrack]

Speak to Head again. Threaten to take it to Governors / Local Authority.

[spurs12345]

Most of his friends get £5 a day. My son saves his pocket money for his lunch. We pay for 3 days worth though and my son pays for 2 days worth.

[isitmidnightalready]

I seem to remember a post in the last couple of months about poor treatment of a pupil by a teacher and one idea was to advise them that you will be writing to Ofsted about it - there was even a suggestion of what to write that sounded very appropriate and scary for the school. The post was about a lady's daughter of about 9 who came out of school terrified and crying and the teacher was giving her a really hard time and picking on her.

Can anyone find it to link for op? That is abit beyond me techologically- speaking.

[isitmidnightalready]

bump - anyone?

[DeLadyDeGaga]

Yes, good idea isitmidnightalready....that'd put the wind up 'em....buggering up their Ofsted report!

This is so distressing for you, for your son and for anyone reading it and yet, it's commonplace. Tolerated in our schools.

I've just posted on Education under Bullying and wonder, what can we mums DO about this to protect our kids and the adults they're going to become.

[ElenStone]

The first step is to remind the school they have a duty of care while your child is at school and that includes a duty to protect all their rights, as defined by the UNCRC

That usually makes them pay attention, informing them that you're happy to raise the matter with the board of Governers and with Ofsted if it isn't resolved is also a good idea. When you do raise it with them, tell them that you want a time frame within which they will have taken action to address the problem.