Eight year old boy - getting called names at school

[dippica]

Not sure whether this should go in behaviour or primary school, but here goes ....

DS2, 8, quite a brainbox, but not so brilliant with social skills etc. Always knew he might be vulnerable to name calling etc (in the same way as I was at school). He wears glasses, is quite clumsy and disorganised, lives in a dreamworld most of the time, and doesn't have a particular group of best friends.
He's been upset before Christmas and again this term by his classmates calling him names - chubby, flat nosed, big head etc etc etc.
I kind of feel like I need to get this right first time (I rarely think I get things right on the parenting front!) - say the right things to him now so that he has tools / responses to use that will work, or at least make him feel better about it.
Anyone have any tips or suggestions to help us?

I would make sure the class teacher is aware of what is happening.Can you arrange a play date with whoever he likes most?At the same time do everything you can to boost his self confidence.Talk to him about bullying and try to give himm strategies to cope.

when is this happening? is it in lessons, or at play/lunch? I would make sure the teacher and head are aware as they should have some stragegies for stopping this. does he have any out of school friends that can be used to reinforce his self esteem among his peer group?

make sure he knows that he can always tell you if something's upsetting him

good luck - this is a heartbreaking situation that a colleague of mine experienced with her eldest recently.

Thanks. Started this thread, then got distrated by RL (inconveniences like work, and cooking tea etc) and have only just returned to it.
I think its probably going on in lessons, or maybe in "lining up time" or similar. DOn't think he regularly plays with a particular group of boys at playtime.
I think I will talk to teacher next week, maybe after I've had another chat to him about it at the weekend.
Good idea re other mates out of school - he does have a couple of friends - will arrange something.

Just so upsetting - he has a definite case of schoolitis at the moment, and I'm pretty sure this is part of it.

I definitely think that you should speak to the school Unfortunately my dd is having some similar problems at the moment with children tormenting her/trying to get her into trouble/getting their parents to 'complain' about her. It is just horrible. However I've had a long talk to her school and explained that this is now impacting upon her views about school in a very negative way. I've also put this in writing. I think that the school understands, however I am not so sure that some individual staff are so good at handling the situation. I have also now started to log the incidents. Above all, I continue to reassure my dd that this will all get sorted - hopefully it will!

Aw poor ds! Speak to the teacher and hopefully it will get sorted out quickly.

I think having some friendships that are resilient is very important, so inviting his friends around out of school time is a good idea. Dealing with bullies when you're on your own in the playground must be complete torture. I never worry about my 7yo ds when he says someone has been nasty to him as I know he's secure in a 'gang' of about 6 boys, so not vulnerable. I'm more concerned about ds2, so working on helping him establish some firmer friends than he has now.