DS was hit in the face by a child at school

Difficult one really, obviously your son shouldn’t have been hit in the face, but why was your son and a group of his friends following a much older child, when the much older child must have clearly been storming off in anger?

Im not sure I believe that your 7 year old son and a group of his friends were all concerned about the welfare of a kid 4 years older than them (unless he was the brother/relation of one of the other children?). Seems a bit off. If it was just your son I would say he was obviously a lovely caring little boy but a group of 7 year old boys? Not sure. Are you sure they weren’t winding him up even further and your son took the brunt of his frustration?

"If it was me I would be asking for a meeting with someone at the school to explain what happened and how your DC can be kept safe in the future."

Not trailing after someone who wants to be on their own.

A number of posters claiming the kid got 'repeatedly punched in the face'.

Interestingly, not a phrase OP used, and therefore unlikely that's what happened.

But loving the suggestion of a police report.

It sounds like the adults needed to intervene and stop the younger ones from following the older one. It's not ok that your DS was hit, this should have been managed by the adults.

It's absolutely mind boggling how many people have spouted the "as an adult you wouldn't want anyone crowding round if you were trying to cool off". Yes, and as an adult if you repeatedly punched another adult in the face for asking if you were OK you'd quickly (and rightfully) be in handcuffs.

Stop minimising the assault of a 7 year old by an older child.

@EndorsingPRActice why wouldn’t an older child cool off in public? Many schools have areas designated for children to go to if they need quiet time. If it is playtime this may need to be outside as possibly no adult supervision inside

Did you read the OP?

There is strict guidance around suspensions. OP cannot ask what has happened to older child, and indeed he may have been suspended.

OP can ask what they can do to safeguard her child. It might be that the area the child took himself off to was an area designated for that and so they need to let other children know that area is to be avoided. If they are concerned about someone they get an adult.

If as an adult you go off somewhere to be alone you wouldn’t want a group of other people crowding round you asking if you are okay, no matter how well meaning they are trying to be

well I'd be wanting to know from the school why an older child was cooling off in public. The views given on this thread worry me, it is not OK to punch a younger child in the head. I think you are quite right to be upset OP. If it was me I would be asking for a meeting with someone at the school to explain what happened and how your DC can be kept safe in the future.

I suspect you'd have very different responses if not for the implied neurodivergence.

Our children are not punching bags for neurodivergent children having meltdowns, OP has every right to be upset. If the child has any SEN, the school should have been more vigilant and not allowed any other child to approach and I'd want to know how the school will safeguard other children in future. If he doesn't then 10/11 is far too old to think repeatedly punching a much younger child is acceptable and I'd want the child suspended at minimum.

Why did it need a group of children to follow another one to ask if they are okay? Best thing is to tell an adult.

Depending on the size of school by this time of year many children will know the children who may react in certain ways

The concerns of the 7yos may have been genuine but they need to be told what to do in the future

I would be asking for a meeting with the school to discuss the incident and the actions that they are taking. I would expect the 10 year old at the very least to be suspended from school, and if they aren’t then I would consider making a report to the police.

The school will not tell what punishment, if any, the other child is receiving. Bluntly, it's not your business. They have a duty of care to them as well, and that includes not sharing personal information about them to other parents.

It's an early lesson for him that trying to help someone is not a good idea, you only open yourself up to attack.

Tell him that in future if someone needs to be alone or is experiencing problems he needs to leave them to it.

So to recap:

A much older boy was followed and harassed by a group of younger children. Who may well have had good intentions (but I'm struggling to udnerstand why a bunch of 7 year olds would ever have thought that they were the right people to check on a year 6. More likely they thought they were playing/being funny, he didn't like it and tried to remove himself but because they are young, they didn't understand and kept going on and on. But let's give them the benefit of the doubt.)

Then, when the older boy felt overwhelmed he "lashed out". It sounds from your description like a general flailing around with your Ds, unfortunately, bearing the brunt of it becuas eof where he was standing.

Your DS is fine with no significant physical harm.

The school are supporting your DS who is , understandably, upset.

The older child is being "dealt with".

I think it's fine to be a bit upset but I don't think there' sany need to take this further. I'd chat to your DS about why him and his friends wouldn't leave this other boy alone. I MIGHT be asking why the school isn't making more effort to separate children of such different age groups. But that's it.

I’m shocked by some of the responses on here.

Of course a 10/11 year old child should know not to repeatedly hit a 7 year old child. It’s completely unjustifiable - the age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old.

I would be asking for a meeting with the school to discuss the incident and the actions that they are taking. I would expect the 10 year old at the very least to be suspended from school, and if they aren’t then I would consider making a report to the police.

My first thoughts are that I would probably be asking more questions about why they followed him when he wanted to cool off and be by himself. Why not just let him be? Was they winding him up further?

Even if hitting back was remotely acceptable, which it obviously isn't, telling a year 3 to hit a year 6 is just daft.

I can understand you being upset, but it's being dealt with. There's nothing you can do as a parent to change the process, so you'll have to let this go.

Yes, because a 7 year old would totally be able to wallop an 11 year old with absolutely no problem 🙄

He’s 7.

What a way to victim blame.

The world doesn’t have to dance to the tune of kids who need to “cool down”. This who are 3-4 years younger certainly don’t

Your poor boy OP. I imagine he was much bigger as well! No I wouldn’t let this slide. Violence is never ok. Some people want victims of ND people who’ve inflicted violence to be ignored but personally this wouldn’t be my stance.

I certainly am. Thanks.

Kids who go around punching other kids in the face do so because they're used to getting away with it. Pretty sure if one of his victims hit him back he wouldn't be so quick the next time.

Hopefully you are not a parent or a teacher.

If I was upset & went to find a quiet spot & a group of junior coworkers started pestering me 'to see if I was okay' aka be nosey, I would become more upset too.

Violence is never okay, but the poor kid was trying to regulate and your child wouldn't let him.

Let school deal - it's a lesson for all involved.

There isn't anything else the school should do. The group shouldn't have followed the boy onto the field. Your son needs to tell an adult if he is worried about someone in this situation.

It has happened. You can’t change that.

yes the older boy shouldn’t have hit out but if he was trying to manage him emotions and regulate then he was obviously struggling.

it’s a chance to talk to your child about the importance of respecting personal space