DS being hit and kicked - should I speak to teacher again?

[CocktailQueen]

DS, just turned 6 and small for his age, is in Year 1. Mad keen on football. Most of the boys play footy at break and lunchtimes. One boy is rough - and I mean nasty rough, not just a little bit rough.

He will regularly hit/punch/kick/push over the other kids while playing football. DS has been punched in the ear and kicked in the genitals this week. After the punching incident I spoke to his teacher. The kick happened yesterday. The boys told the break supervisor, who told ds's teacher (I'd asked her to keep an eye on break?lunchtime play).

The other boy was given a match ban at lunch, which wasn't reinforced - he was allowed to play. What should I do? Leave it this time? Talk to the teacher again?

I know she can't be there at lunchtime and breaks - she needs breaks too! - but equally I want to make sure ds is safe and this other boy doesn't get away with it. Advice please!

I would ask for 5 minutes with the teacher at the end of the day. She won't supervise lunch but she can ensure her half of good communication is in place.

Of course yet should.

Absolutely.

And then move on to the Head if it happens again.

Definitely talk to the teacher again. The sanction should be enforced or the other boy will know he can get away with this.

Thanks all. It's tricky getting a balance between standing up for ds and being the mother who's always at the school complaining...

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, unfortunately.

I'd definitely complain!

If I were you I'd put it in writing to the teacher and copy in the Head. There's no way you that your child should have to be a punching/kicking bag for a out-of-control classmate. The school has a responsibility to take reasonable care to keep all pupils safe. If one of the pupils is a dangerous thug then they shouldn't be allowed to have contact with the rest. I had to take similar steps recently for my father, who was in a hospital ward with a dangerous man who attacked residents and staff.

I hope you get it sorted out.

Definitely Absolutely complain and keep telling them whenever it happens. Of course the teacher can't be there all the time but the breaktime supervisors should know and enforce play time bans.

My son is getting picked on at the moment and the child has playground bans, - she is getting sneaky though and attacking him first thing in the morning as they go across the playground into their classrooms.

I have told the school that I don't want to have to escort him to his desk in the mornings but I will if they can't protect him from her.

They have been great about it to be fair, and have upped the morning supervision.

They can only do this though if they know it's necessary.

Don't feel bad about complaining.

I second the comments above: in a bullying situation (lots of hitting, pinching, kicking, verbal abuse and isolating, which culminated in my son being pushed down some steps) I spoke to the class teacher a couple of times, and then went for formal letter, cc-ed to the Head, with a copy of the downloaded anti-bullying policy, with appropriate points highlighted and annotated...

The bullying stopped after that.

I think it helps the teachers/ Head if you give them evidence in writing: it was easier to present a case to the child's parents and work together to stop the unwanted behaviour - which is all we wanted.

I hope you resolve this soon, it's horrible.