Please help, the school isn’t taking any action

[Tryingmyupmost]

Hi

I didn’t even think that I would be allowed to join, hopefully now someone will be able to offer some advice.

I’m a single dad and have a wonderful teenage daughter. I also have two amazing nieces aged 6 and 8. The eldest niece is whom I am requesting advice regarding.

She is intelligent and very caring. She thinks long and hard about everything. She formulates some insightful and interesting thoughts. School until this new school year has been a breeze and an absolute joy for her. The unfortunate school yard name calling occurred in years before, now it is however much worse, along with isolating certain children. My niece wasn’t a victim of this directly. As is her nature she always went to which ever child was victimised. Hence now, she is also in the sights and receiving abuse. She is a wonderful little lady and would never think about changing who she is and how she acts so that she isn’t a target.

The school, Outstanding on ofsted at the last year, has done nothing. My sister has been in at least once a week this term. Her husband the same. They are getting the same reply that my niece should just tell someone and they will deal with it there and then.

My niece is thoughtful and sensitive, she has a diary and there are very dark and worrying page after page that she has written. She is now going to see someone about herself worth. I write this as I don’t know how I can help! My sister struggled with similar things at school. I then confronted her bullies and discussed solutions. I can not do the same for her daughter.

Mind, thoughts, imagination etc is being looked into

How can I get the school to take this seriously and take some action without my niece looking like the “Grass” then making everything worse for her?

Thanks

Are the school.aware of the contents of this diary and that your niece is going to see a professional? Maybe this will help them.twke your concerns serious. As for dealing whth something there and the n,if they are being told there is a problem,surely when they are told should not determine whether investigation takes place. You say your sister or her h6has been to the school.on.a weekly basis. If this is not a formal appointment, perhaps it is not taken seriously or maybe parents are bein g seen as a nuisance. What is the schools anti bullying policy? Is this available on the school.website? If not request a copy and see if the practice lives up.to.the theory. My advice is to note down names of perpetrators and incidences. Note down.any changes in behaviour you have witnessed. Things to consider:is your niece reluctant to attend school; not wanting to.go out at break eyc; have her eating habits changed etc? Then request an appointment with.the headteacher. If you have any information take it to.the meeting.
One last thing be prepared that there may be a slight chance that you are not getting the whole story from.yiur niece. Good luck

Document it. Every incident, every single thing that happens. Write it in a letter to the school and ask them what they are going to do about it.

This is what we had to do. One letter was 5 pages long. Eventually they took it seriously.

I agree with the pp, your sister should be going to the school to inform them of the diary and asking for some support for your niece.
As a teacher myself, I would encourage all children to speak to an adult when something happens out in the playground. It doesn’t need to be straight away, she could wait and then write a note to her class teacher if she feels more comfortable doing that.However, if a parent came in and explained what had been happening then I know that my school and I would be implementing lessons on bullying and chatting to all the children in the class. Your sister should find out the schools bullying policy, it should be on the school website, if not then she can email and ask for a copy of it. She should make a formal appointment with the head teacher to discuss her concerns and ask the school directly what they are going to do to next. If the school is not taking it seriously then your sister can go above them and take it further.

So when she does as they ask and tells someone there and then, how do they respond?

Can she change schools?? This sounds awful!