I would really appreciate your thoughts. This is incredibly long, but it is a really long running saga.
There is a girl in DDs year 4 group, let's call her Anna. She arrived in Year 2, was put in the other class to DD. I immediately started hearing stories about how she was being nasty to various girls, but especially to Bella. DD didn't have much to do with her because she was in a different class. In year 3 DD was also in a different class to Anna, and I heard she was still nasty and now also bullying Clare and Dora, who were in her class. I regularly asked DD if Anna was "behaving nicely" towards her, to be told that DD tried not to have much to do with her, that she kept her head down, but was told all the terrible things she had done and said to B, C, D and others.
Beginning of Year 4 I find out htat DD has been put in A's class, and there are only 5 girls out of a class of 14. I have a meeting with the HeadMaster about something or other and I also say "DD is very concerned about being in A's class, it is well known that she has been bullying lots of people, I am unhappy that it hasn't been resolved, keep an eye on it". He assures me that a very close eye is being kept on the situation.
Anyway DD goes off for a 3 day school trip this weekend. On picking her up from the bus on Sunday she is in floods. We put her to bed thinking she is knackered. Monday am she is sobbing, saying she doesn't want to go to school, she is tired. I keep her off school and she sleeps until 10.30am. Tuesday she is sobbing, says she doesn't want to go to school - and I finally winkle out of her that it is because she doesn't want to see A who has been verbally abusing her for 2 years, but is particularly bad this term. Every time she sees her she calls her a pig, a loser, ugly, nobody likes her, etc etc etc.
Anyway I have since found out that child B's parents complained three times in years 2 and 3, were told it was being "dealt with", and the bullying stopped so they left it. Child C's parents complained 3 times in Year 3, were told it was being dealt with, the bullying slowed down, and they left it. Child D's parents complained 2ce in Year 3, once in Year 4, she ws told that the parents were being called in and it was being dealt with so they left it.
It appears it is now DD's turn. I am NOT LEAVING IT. I have asked for her immediate suspension, her return on a one-strike-you-are-out basis, a full review of all the policies and guidelines etc, an anti-bullying day or programme, staff training etc. And I've sent copies of correspondence to the board of governors.
My questions (finally) - what is best practice in this situation? How should the school have handled these various complaints? What is it reasonable for me to expect the school to have done? As far as I can see the Headmaster has not been involved at all - complaints have all been made to various teachers and the Head of Lower School, the Head has not spoken to the child although teachers have, and I think the parents were called in to the Head of Lower School.
I expect I'll have a meeting with HM tomorrow or monday - what can I legitimately tell him would have been done in a school operating approved bullying policies to a best practice standard?
If you've got this far I'm extremely impressed and grateful
xx