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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

DD badly injured at school WWYD?

42 replies

BoosMaw · 21/02/2011 23:22

Hi all, I'm hoping for a little perspective...

My DD is in reception year, she hasn't told me much detail but at least one older child has been giving her bother at school during lunch and break times. It all came to a head last week, she was pushed and shoved around and ended up breaking a bone. She was in hospital for 2 days, and will have to continue to attend hospital as an outpatient for some time yet.

I have spoken briefly to school about this, they don't know much detail of the incident but are investigating it, DD doesn't like to talk about it much so I also don't know much detail, e.g. which child/ren was/were involved. I suspect she doesn't know names, she guessed the child who caused the injury was perhaps in year 1 or 2. After half term I expect to discuss in more detail with school staff. So far the school staff I have spoken to have seemed very defensive, even though I feel I have been very reasonable about the incident so far.

What should I expect to happen from here? What do you think I should be doing? Its half term here at the moment thankfully so I have a few days to think this through, also DD is recovering

OP posts:

MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours · 21/02/2011 23:25

Good God that is terrible. I would be onto the police to be honest. How dare the teachers be defensive, they should be bloody ashamed!

I really hope your DD is ok and it all sorts out.

NonnoMum · 21/02/2011 23:30

Agree with MyCat.

My DD had an injury that resulted in a fracture at school, but that was the result of a fall.

Might even be tempted to call the police tomorrow. Don't know why the school is being so defensive.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 21/02/2011 23:32

Police? Why? The child who caused the injury is surely below the age of criminal responsibility.

MrsShrekTheThird · 21/02/2011 23:32

You're being pretty reasonable imho.

There has to be an accident report, and I'm not sure from your info if it's under RIDDOR reporting (that actually depends which bone is broken) The school's investigation will focus on the incident itself, gathering info - which obv isn't the easiest of tasks with young children. IMHO you should make an appointment to meet with the head to discuss what they have found (they won't name names to you though, obv) and most importantly how they are dealing with the issues arising from their investigation.

Make notes to take, and agree with the head that you will both minute the meeting for future reference.

If at the end of all this you're not satisfied that your child is safe, then there are steps to take [governors, local authority etc] but you are expected to deal with concerns thoroughly with the head teacher first.
It sounds like you are staying calm and pleasant, which is great (I wish all parents were like you) Staff may actually have been told not to discuss it - with anyone including each other [and you] until the investigation is over, so please don't either take that personally or think they're being vague. It's standard procedure, try not to make anything much of it.

MrsShrekTheThird · 21/02/2011 23:35

obviously the school has a duty of care to your child, and their focus has to be on how they are going to put this into practical safety terms - in your position I'd be asking for more supervision at play time and break times, a junior child to 'buddy' your dd, stuff like that.

NonnoMum · 21/02/2011 23:37

Police because there may be lack of supervision/lack of care, not to arrest a 7 year old.

KatieMiddleton · 21/02/2011 23:38

This accident should have been reported to the HSE too because it resulted in hospital treatment. I would expect OFSTED may also be alerted?? But not sure about that.

I'd want to know what steps are being taken to find out what happened and ensure it never happens again.

Has the head been in touch?

nailak · 21/02/2011 23:39

thats terrible! she's only 5! if there are issues like this in the school i would expect the school to take it very seriously and if they dont you should go to governors or media with the story.

Original poster

BoosMaw · 21/02/2011 23:40

Thanks for your replies so far. If I sound vague it's because I don't really want to be putting identifying info here.

I expect that the perpetrator probably didn't mean to cause such bad injuries, at least I like to think that nobody would intend to do this to a younger child, there was probably an element of bad luck involved. Still I'm concerned for my DD that she's had to tolerate this, and earlier mean behaviour.

OP posts:

MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours · 21/02/2011 23:41

Police to the school, not the child who did it (and it doesn't seem that they know who did it so couldn't do that). It may be that the school state there is nothing they can do and that it has to be dealt with by the school, but I would certainly be asking them.

The school allowed a child to be hurt badly enough to break a bone - in my opinion that is criminal. At the very least a chat with the police might make the school be more careful in future.

MrsShrekTheThird · 21/02/2011 23:42

Write to the head with your concerns too... then if (and hopefully it won't, but in case) it were to go further, to governors and LEA Complaints department, then you have a papertrail. Vital. Keep all your conversations, letters, emails and dates written down. Just In Case :)

belledechocchipcookie · 21/02/2011 23:45

It seems as though they are not following their bullying policy at all. Have you seen it? I'd go to the LEA, no child should be harmed like this. Teachers can't watch them all of the time but they shouldn't be unsupervised. Have you kept a record of other injuries? I wouldn't return her to this school unless they are able to show you that she will be safe.

MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours · 21/02/2011 23:45

Sorry, my sentance should have read "it may be that the police state there is nothing they can do.."

MyCatIsABiggerBastardThanYours · 21/02/2011 23:47

ANd yes, what belle says - I would not be returning my child to this school until I was completely satisfied she would be safe.

Really hope you get this sorted for your DD.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 22/02/2011 02:28

While I do understand the feelings of those who want the Op to contact the police, given that there's nothing they can do, what's the point? By all means, raise the subject with the HT/LEA, but I don't see how the school can be held responsible for the actions of a child who is not old enough be responsible for him/herself!?

HowsTheSerenity · 22/02/2011 05:46

You would call the police? What can the police do? I would talk to the head about it and let them deal with it. Just make sure that it has been well documented. The school cannot always be responsbile for the actions of every single child. It would be nice but it cannot happen. Parents need to be responsible for their children as well.

seoraemaeul · 22/02/2011 06:04

As you're on school holidays I'd spend a bit more time finding out from your daughter (or her friends) what happened. I know its tough at this age but all the teachers/head are going to have to go on are the same thing. And even if she is hazy on the detail you can spend the time talking through her feelings and what she can do if anyone approaches aggressively her again.

Can any of her friends help discuss it - especially if they have older siblings they may be more familiar with older kids in the school (I'm not necessarily advocating name and shame as tempting as it may, but at least know if there is a problem with certain kids)

My DS has a couple of kids in his class (which would be reception in the UK) who are unfortunately well known for bullying behaviour - one physically the other emotional. The teachers do their best and in fairness with at least one of them the parents are working really hard to stop it.

You need to feel your daughter is safe at school but you also need to make sure that she feels OK emotionally about what happened and going back to school. Especially as she could find she's centre of attention on the first day back, especially if she has a sling/cast etc

Greenunistu · 22/02/2011 09:16

Hi, as a first aider in a primary school it is my responsibility to fill in an accident report form, this form contains lots of information and even a mini statement of how the incident happened. As a parent you are able to view this report form (assuming they have filled one in) and this may tell you the outline of what happened.
As someone else said if the school are doing their own investigation the staff would have been told not to say anything. If you have any questions just go straight to the head.

prh47bridge · 22/02/2011 09:56

I doubt the police would get involved with this. No crime has been committed as far as I can see. As to whether the school is following its bullying policy, we don't know if the OP or her daughter ever reported the problems to the school before this incident.

Be very careful when talking to your daughter about this. It is easy to plant false memories in young children unintentionally. You want her to tell you what really happened, not something she thinks will make you happy.

The school needs to deal with this. They may not want to talk to you much until they have found out what has happened and decided what to do. Even then you may not find out what punishment, if any, has been given to the other child. However, they should be able to tell you what measures they are taking to avoid any repetition. If you are unhappy take it up with the head teacher. If you are still unhappy it is time to complain to the governors and, if that fails, the LA.

I am sorry you are having to go through this. I hope it gets sorted out to your satisfaction quickly and that your daughter has no more problems.

activate · 22/02/2011 09:59

Police? some people are fucking mad!

So sorry to hear about your child's injury and yes you need answers from school

ask for a full meeting to discuss it - if you think its bullying ask for the anti-bullying policy and what steps have been taken to deal with the bullies - take a friend to take notes

you do not have the right to know who did it - but you do have the right to know what is being done to ensuer this kind of injury doesn't happen again

Decorhate · 22/02/2011 10:20

Will the hospital refer this to anyone? Just thinking that if this incident happened at home & an older sibling was involved it might well be referred to SS as they would want to ensure you were protecting a younger child from being injured by an older one.

Don't know if they would still refer it if the incident happened at school?

Ephiny · 22/02/2011 10:34

I think it's absolutely reasonable to call the police if you think this was a deliberate assault by an older child. Did anyone else witness what happened?

If it was an accident then that's a different matter, these things happen and unless you have particular reason to think the school was negligent then I don't think anyone is necessarily at fault.

activate · 22/02/2011 10:35

you are talking about a 6 or 7 year old maximum you twit

Goblinchild · 22/02/2011 10:44

I'd want a meeting with the head teacher and a copy of the incident report to go through.
I'd want to know exactly what was being put in place to prevent such an incident occuring again, and what daily tracking methods were being used to ensure the monitoring of behaviour at break times.
I would make written notes at the meeting, and conduct all communications through email or follow a verbal conversation up with a written note.
We have a simple recording set up in our school, and most children report happy playtimes.
Small incidents are discussed and resolved. We also keep a record of reasons for distress, so we can spot patterns and escalations and intervene as appropriate before it's a real problem.
I'd also be monitoring the school's response to make sure that any agreements are kept for longer than a few weeks.
As yet, you don't have enough detailed information to make an informed decision. Nor does anyone else who is talking about police involvement.

ragged · 22/02/2011 14:32

DS has just confirmed that broken arms have happened at his school during break times (we think at least twice in last 6 years). It's a big school (about 350 pupils). I didn't hear anything about repercussions afterwards (at least once the child with broken limb was playing quite roughly himself).

I would want to know what happened, too, but tbh, it might well be one of those things.

Sympathies, I have broken my forearm 3x, but it didn't hurt much as a kid.

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