assault by teacher and subsequent problems

[tunecedemalis]

Hi all
I have posted for ages but I really need some thoughts on this one. Two years ago we moved our ds (10) to a local prep school. We struggle to afford it but live in an area where the good schools are single sex female in the state sector! Last year his teacher pulled a pencil case off his arm causing a Chinese burn- she received a warning from the school. Before Christmas another member of staff bruised my son's arm severely as the member of staff was angry because of a problem with the school computers unrelated to my child. The school accused my son of lying so the police investigated and the teacher was cautioned. After Christmas school decided my son had a serious behaviour problem and placed him on report (this followed the police caution and had never been mentioned before).Last week he was removed from class for drawing three feint lines on an exercise book and drumming his two fingers on a table for 30 seconds. He was told to go to a room where an older boy who had knocked out another child's teeth was working, my son refused and was left to work in the corridor. On Friday I was emailed inviting him on a trip. I sent in money etc. today but he was not allowed to go as he was told he was very naughty and that mum and dad had agreed he should sit in the corridor or with the bully all day. This was a total lie and probably entrapment on the behalf of the school. He has brilliant friends there but since Christmas the staff have made his life impossible. What on earth do I do?

You're paying for this?! Seriously, do you really need to ask what you should do?

Local prep school? You're paying for your ds to be treated in this way?? Good grief.

Your ds has been assaulted by 2 different teachers and you haven't taken him out? Is this for real?

What do you mean, pulled a pencil case off his arm?

And how did the bruising happen?

Hi all
I know I seem ridiculous but he is so close to his friends there and he had to move to a few schools (army family) and I didn't want to mess him about again.

Hi HesMyLobster
DS was being silly- his pencil case had broken, his work was finished so he put it over his arm. The teacher walked over and yanked it with such force it caused a chinese burn to his arm.

The second time the teacher is in his 70s and went loco because the computer system was broken he blamed ds but i suspect it could have been any kid. his arm was gripped so hard that it bruised badly for weeks

There are many reports of bad teachers and HT in private schools on mumsnet. These individuals behave as though they are not answerable to any one or organisation, and complaints about them are just brushed aside to protect the school business. We found complaints procedures are not worth the paper they are written on, and the Independent Schools Inspectorate and the Depart of Education won't investigate individual cases. So these individuals can get away with very bad and even criminal behaviours.

If your children were physically harmed, then you should take photos of the injuries and call the police. No teacher is allowed to physically hurt children.

It's disgusting that so many private schools have no morals.

thanks Sunflower- police etc investigated but school don't care. I wonder if they can be sued for not ensuring DS safety?

"his arm was gripped so hard that it bruised badly for weeks"

Weeks? Really?

And this place is better than the local state school exactly why?

And why are you thinking about sueing rather than focussing on getting your child out of there?

Have you followed the complaints procedure, through to governors? It all sounds very odd and how do you know about the other child's circumstances. Does ds leave this year otherwise you why wouldn't you leave asap.

If the police had investigated, and found the teacher/school guilty, then you should contact a (no win no fee) solicitor to take up your case, as well as the complaints procedure. The latter is probably a waste of time, as we followed the private school complaints procedure to the letter, and even though the HT was guilty of misconduct, their Trust refused to complete the procedure to protect the school and HT. We therefore reported the school (NGHS), their trust (GDST) and the HT to the DoE & ISI but they won't investigate individual cases.

Bad private schools should be named and shamed. They care more about their business than the welfare of children.