Should the teachers notice my son is being hit?

[MGMidget]

Just wondered if I'm expecting too much of the teachers at my son's pre-school. I've discovered that he is being hit regularly by the same girl. A victim of bullying and he's not even 3 yet - poor chap! However, the nursery teachers are oblivious to this and even today when my son had water poured over his head by this girl they didn't notice. When my nanny picked him up later and noticed he was in different clothes he told her XXX (the girl) did it. However, the nursery staff were quick to say it was probably an accident, despite the fact that his clothes were soaked front and back in water - as though he had had water chucked over this head. So I'm wondering - is it too much to expect nursery staff to notice this behaviour when it happens and to correct this type of misbehaviour? The nursery is small - only about 20 children and 4 teachers and my son says he is being hit by this girl 'all the time'. I'm trying to weigh up how to tackle this with them when I speak to them about it tomorrow - is it a common problem in nurseries and is it hard for staff to spot these things? This nursery is an OFSTED 'outstanding' by the way.

I think nursery staff should notice this, yes. Perhaps not every time, but if it is repeating they should. My DD was being pushed etc by the same boy. Nothing major happened but once or twice she had bruises on her head (I'll accept knee-bruises but head bruises is more of an issue). The nursery has an obligation to keep the children safe so I felt the fact that no accident forms had been shown to me was a potential problem.

I would say to the nursery staff something along the lines of

"I have noticed [son] keeps coming home with bruises/ unfortunate things keep being done to [son] by other children. He has told me that [girl] hits him repeatedly. Can you keep a closer eye on him?"

That may be enough to alert them to the issue.