Problems with the school.

[hope1010]

My husband and I have experienced multiple issues with our child's primary school and it has all come to a head with our child experiencing bullying from the teacher. We have also experienced direct aggression towards us from her. On a weekly basis our child comes home with such negative attitudes about the teacher's behavior. Our child is a sensitive soul and so is a target for bullies. Never are these children punished but rather our child is made to feel it is their fault is someone hits them or is nasty to them. Our child is now too afraid to tell the teacher when they are experiencing bullying for fear they will be the one who is punished.

Aside from the problems with this teacher, we had had numerous problems over the last 2 years of our child's schooling. From children being refused water during classes and PE, vegetarian children (in using our child) being given meat despite the school and all staff involved knowing their circumstances and our child coming home on numerous occasions with injuries inflicted by other children, the school failing to report it or even to tell us. They have said they will resolve these issues but never follow up.

We have spoken with the deputy head and head of the school and also the Head of the board of governors. It has has little impact.

This is our child's last year in this school before moving onto a junior school which we hope will be better! We have contemplated removing our child from this school but they do have a close knit group which gives our child more confidence in school and he is reluctant to move. The junior school is connected to the infant school but we hope to see an improvement from this school.

Does anyone have any advice on what she we can do to see improvement from this school and actually feel like our concerns are being listened to? At the moment we just feel that the school is closing ranks to protect their own, discriminating against us for having concerns and putting the children at risk.

I have tried to explain without going into too much detail.

Any advice is welcome.

Thank you xxx

What exactly has the school promised in relation to resolving the issues? Do you have anything in writing?

I would suggest that from now on communication is carefully recorded, and any concerns raised by you are accompanied with the outcome that you would like to see, and the school asked how they intend to respond.

Is the school actually following its own bullying policy correctly?

I think when a school closes ranks, it's very difficult to see improvements. We have had a similar experience so I'm watching with interest. Some of our concerns were resolved through the school's complaints' process but others weren't addressed at all.

When we realised they weren't going to address the other matters, we focused on broadening our DC's support and friendship groups outwith school.

Since this is your DC's last year, I wonder if it's worth arranging a meeting with the head of the junior school to address your concerns and see if they can reassure you that it's worth maintaining your DC at their current school. If the junior school exhibits similar traits then it may encourage you to move your DC rather than persevere.

I had a similar situation with my eldest DS when he was at primary school (he's 18 now). It was really awful, heart breaking to see him so upset, and so infuriating to not be listened to. I moved him to a different school, best thing I ever did.

Your DS has got about 8 weeks left at the school, I'd focus on keeping him ticking along and save your energy when it comes to battling the school.