How should bullying be recorded by school

[realhousewifeofoc]

Hi, I wondered if anyone could help.

How should an academy record incidents of bullying or violence towards a child?

I have had ongoing issues with my son's secondary school. I don't feel that they address bullying etc.

There have been multiple incidents of bullying and or violence towards my son, including him being surrounded in a school changing room and physically pushed/do forced into a fight which was recorded.

I asked the school how any of these types of incidents are recorded. They aren't apparently, the only record of them are emails between myself and the school discussing them.

Does anyone know if this is right? I want to make a complaint how the school are dealing with this type of thing

Thank you

I don't have much advice Op but I'm bumping this for you.

Thank you!

The school should have their bullying policy available to view. Usually this is online. If not, ask for a hard copy.

As above via the school policy.

Good practice is to keep a log of all incidents, so that these can be analysed over time to evaluate patterns and tends. This informs the curriculum offer to pupils, communication with parents, use of wider support and services and staff CPD.

If you have a complaint, the policy should also be on the school/trust website, guiding you through the complaints procedure to trustees.

Many schools use a system called CPOMS which is to record all safeguarding risks, you can alert any staff and all safeguarding staff are alerted.

I am astounded that the school says they don’t record the incidents. Could it be that they don’t believe them to be bullying (ie Several Times On
Purpose)?

Certainly on our last Ofsted Inspection I had to show my bullying log (which includes incidents not deemed to be bullying following investigation) and any data trends and actions taken against perpetrators.

school is playing a dangerous game if they don’t.

Thanks everyone, that's very helpful

That doesn’t sound right at all. The school should have a safeguarding policy and a Designated Safeguarding Lead, I would be contacting them. After that I’d write to the Chair of Governors.