Those who followed my dds awful school year is this letter to school ok?

[MarthaElf]

NC so other posts not linked but anyone who has listened to me moan for months this year will know.
Following an awful year, threatened with a knife in school (didn't bother ringing me) stones thrown at her, hit, called a slag, threatened to 'twat her' 'punch her' and more including continually being let down in relation to her learning issue.

She has now got a new place for September elsewhere.
I am withdrawing her from the school with immediate effect (she tried to stay initially as didn't want to miss out on fun trips because of the bullies :( )

Anyway I have done the letter to withdraw but don't want to just add the standard dereg letter as I want it out there why.

Is this okay?

It is after very careful consideration and discussion that following dd being significantly unhappy at x school for a substantial period of time that we have taken the difficult decision to move dd to a smaller setting and one which more matches her future career pathway. We currently already have an offer for dd for September out of Borough in regards to this following interviews and dd already knows pupils within the school.

As some members of staff are aware dd has suffered some issues this year including the weapon incident, stones thrown at her on the school run and name calling in addition to some other incidents which have rocked her confidence. Sadly dd is so unhappy and it has come to light over the weekend that following a previously reported incident she has suffered further bullying in school in the past week including daily threats to 'twat her' 'punch her' and being called offensive names from an older pupil which she has been scared to report as the pupil lives fairly locally to us.

As a result of her continued unhappiness and resulting anxiety we have decided to remove dd from x school for the final three weeks of term and take full responsibility for dds education at home as per section 7 of the 1996 Education Act and have informed the LA by email of this also.

In accordance with this we therefore ask that dds name be removed from the school register immediately from today 26/6/16 as per Regulation 8(1) of the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006.

As we have informed the LA we will be using this time to rebuild dds confidence and cover topics provided by her new school for September where dd has already chosen options while providing an efficient education suitable to her age, ability, aptitude and needs.

I actually don't like the start (not knowing your story) and find it doesn't get to the point quick enough. I'd reword to something like:

As you are aware, DD has been significantly unhappy at x school for a substantial period of time due to extreme bullying and harassment which includes, in addition to other incidents, being threatened with a knife, having stones thrown at her and being called names such as "slag".  

Over the weekend it has come to light that over the last week and following the reporting of <span class="underline">_</span><span class="underline">_</span>__, DD has been subjected to further bullying at school by an older pupil including daily threats to 'twat her' 'punch her' and being called offensive names.  DD has been too scared to report these incidents as the pupil in question live fairly locally to us and DD is understandably in great fear for her safety.

Therefore, it is after very careful consideration and discussion, and as a result of her continued unhappiness and resulting anxiety, we have made the decision decided to remove dd from x school for the final three weeks of term.  During this time, in accordance with section 7 of the 1996 Education Act we will home educate DD until she is able to resume school in September at an out of Borough school to which DD has been offered a place. We feel this is the best move for DD as the school is smaller and she already knows pupils attending the school.

Please remove dds name from the school register effective immediately of the date of this letter as per Regulation 8(1) of the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006.

The LA has been informed of this move.  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

I think it's important to really stress, in written form, the severity of the bullying and also to be direct and to the point.

Thank you!
As I said I am struggling to not write too emotively.

MarthaElf can you take advice on the wording from someone about how to word the bit about stopping school. I would say her mental and physical health were at risk at her school. they have monumentally failed to protect her physical and mental health and if they make any issues about her leaving I would see what emergency situations Ofsted have to deal with this kind of thing. I do not know, so am not in any way informed about this, but I would just check how home educating comes into it.

I mean you can home educate a child on sick from school without officially home educating them, can't you? Maybe it depends on a sick note from the GP.

Anyway, you are totally right to not let her go back into school where she will be at risk.

Ive reworded it a bit, for me i would try to get a sentence in their about how you have tried to work with the school but they haven't been forthcoming (if that is the case) but I think something more along the lines of the below.

Following the significant and continuous bullying of dd at X school and the subsequent decline in dd's mental health, the decision has been made to withdraw her from your setting enabling us to take up a new place In a smaller setting from September.

Previous incidents of bullying include continuous name calling (such as 'slag'), being threatened physically with a knife and stones being thrown at her (as well as many more all of which were documented to you at the time). All of these incidents happened on school grounds and have contributed to a significant decline in DD's confidence, causing her great emotional difficulty and at times physical harm.

It has come to light over this weekend that following a previously reported incident she has suffered further bullying from an older pupil within school in the past week, including daily name calling and threats of physical harm (threats to 'punch her' or 'twat her') which she has been too scared to report for fear of further backlash. The lack of confidence to report the above is also demonstrative of her lack of confidence in the schools ability to safeguard her following assurances by the school that the bullying had been dealt with in line with the bullying policy and that she would be safeguarded from further harm-in line with both the bullying policy and the safeguarding policy.

Due to the anxiety the above is causing dd and the severe impact overall it is having on dd's emotional and mental wellbeing we have taken the decision to remove dd from X school on 26/06/16 and will in line with S7 of the 1996 Education Act take responsibility of her education at home for the last three weeks of the term. We also ask that in accordance of Regulation 8(1) of the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006 DD's name be removed from the register immediately.

We have spoken to and informed the LA of our intentions for the final few weeks of this term and a copy of this will also be forwarded to the school governers, ofstead and the local authority for their records. 


Brilliant help and advice on here. Excellent wordings on the letters. I would not home school but get her signed off by the GP to avoid any ramifications with the LA, the new school etc. So sorry you your daughter have been through this, it's a disgrace.

I hope your DD is happy in her new school.

Personally I don't think your letter was blunt enough. I would have been tempted to put the phrase "failed to address the bullying my DD has suffered" assuming the school has indeed failed to address it. But that is just me!

I sent a very similar dereg letter 9 years ago for DS - best thing we ever did. He was back in a different school after about 3 months, and has thrived ever since.

The school we left was inspected by Ofsted, went into Special measures, and after a period of executive headship is now once more a good school with a strong head teacher and a new staff team. I'm not saying that my letter had anything to do with any of that - but I was still very glad that letter had been sent.

The LA Effic talks about are acting illegally if that is what they are doing.

Great letter op, could be more blunt. I would say that the school have failed in their duty of care and use the word safeguarding. Definitely copy to the chair of governers. And if you have or can produce retrospectively a log of specific incidents with dates then include that too.

Is it worth including dates and details of previous communication with the school about it? Eg "despite 2 conversations with DD's teacher on this date and that date, 2 calls and 1 email to the head teacher on that date, no action has been taken by the school which has resulted in any improvement in the situation".
I'm not an education professional but do the school really need to know about the home-schooling as long as the local authority?
Good luck! I definitely agree about getting counselling before she starts new school.

I would, as a teacher, have been far more straightforward. Good luck to your dd. Even if you request her name to be removed, it is unlikely that this will happen until she is enrolled at the new place in September.

The LA here automatically withdraws ANY & ALL school place if a parent elects to home educate

Only just picked this up.

If they are in England and they genuinely do that they are acting illegally. They can take away your place at your current school. They may not legally withdraw offers for other schools. So if your child is at school A and has an offer for school B but can't start there immediately and you decide with withdraw your child from school A and home educate, e.g. due to bullying, they can (and should) remove your child from the register at school A but the offer for school B still stands.

If they are concerned about parents using home education for short periods as cover for holidays there are other ways of dealing with that without breaking the law.

Good advice on here.

I would set out each event in bullet points including dates, describing your communication with the school and their failure to take adequate action.

State that you have been left with no option but to protect your child and have informed LA accordingly.

State that you hope in light of this that a full investigation will be carried out and procedures will be reviewed so that other children can be protected where your child was failed.

I'd agree that it would be a good idea to put something about working with the school, over time, to address the bullying issues that DD has faced, but despite that, these have continued and have not reduced in number or severity. As a result, you feel that a fresh start at a smaller school, more suited to her learning needs Mrpile be advantageous to her.

I wouldn't put anything about a future career, as that may well change and I would agree on advising caution regarding home schooling. Please check with everyone before you commit to that in writing, because it would be tragic if she was left without a place in September.

Really like Midnight's rewording, and think you should be clearer about the schools failings. The original letter doesn't make it clear these issues were reported at all.

I too would send a copy to the LA and Ofsted. (Not saying the latter can do anything, but if they inspect they should have sight of the letter so they can review their bullying policies, etc).

Good luck to your daughter and yourself.

I remember your previous thread.
The letter looks good to me, be sure to copy in Chair of Governors and LA and either get a receipt if hand delivered or send to school recorded delivery so that there can be no doubt they receive it.
Wishing your daughter all the best at the new school, I hope she can grow in confidence and you both have a less stressful time from here on

When my DD chsnged schools - I moved her in July - 3 weeks of getting to know new faces and dun games y6 - so it wasn't such a big shock to the system in September - is this possible at the new school?

Good luck to you and your daughter on the next positive phase of her education

Previous/current school is a disgrace you are definitely doing the right thing by removing her. Letter looks fine - very decent given the circumstances you have encountered- if it were me I would have made it more of a formal complaint - but to be honest it's probably best now to leave all negative emotion associated with that school behind and try and find a better place for yourself and your daughter to focus your energies

Thanks all. Dd actually went today as I panicked about the losing place comment just while I checked with LA before prh replied.

I did email school as per normal process to report the bullying which had come to light over the weekend.

They haven't replied at all and dd has just text me from school saying no one has spoken to her and she was on her way to the loo and the big older pupil has had another go at her verbally asking her what she was looking at and what her problem is and laughing at her.

Bastards

She isn't going bloody back.

Just to update. Lea confirmed happy for me to do what I planned. Dereg letter in post recorded

You have so much self-control! What a dignified letter to a school that has let your daughter down badly. Slightly irrelevant, but you are setting your daughter such a great example. YES the letter is OK, and I wish your daughter the best of luck.
suddenly remembering the furious email I sent my son's first nursery

I remember your posts. Fantastic letter, wishing your daughter all the best x

MarthaElf Re "Just to update. Lea confirmed happy for me to do what I planned. Dereg letter in post recorded" .........fab....

"I did email school as per normal process to report the bullying which had come to light over the weekend.

They haven't replied at all."

What a useless shit hole!

Re " ...and dd has just text me from school saying no one has spoken to her and she was on her way to the loo and the big older pupil has had another go at her verbally asking her what she was looking at and what her problem is and laughing at her." I hope those sad fuckwits are in therapy one day, feeling guilt for what they have done. Not very nice I know, but it pisses me off beyond words. They are all very weak and spineless not to stand up to bullies or even worse to be a bully.

Your dd rocks.

"She isn't going bloody back." Good to hear.

Hugs

A very good letter, bravo! You ate doing the right thing by your daughter. Wishing you all the best. X

It is a good open and honest letter. When I was in a similar position I just told them that we were leaving as I didn't have the strength to go through it all again. I didn't even get an acknowledgement.

I wish you and your dd all the best for a much brighter future