Apologies in advance - it is quite long. TLDR: DS was assaulted at school by another student and school have done little about it.
My 17 yo DS was assaulted in school 3 months ago by another pupil. It was completely unprovoked, and the boy punched DS at least 8 times in the head and kicked him in the testicles. DS went straight to the VP and told him what happened. Despite knowing he had a head injury, school allowed him to walk home from school alone, and although had tried DH's number once, didn't leave a message and didn't try to contact me. I'm still really pissed off about this, firstly that we weren't able to support our son when he needed it, but also the risk that he could have collapsed on the way home from school from his head injury (the grounds are big and DS walks a fairly secluded route home).
DS arrived home absolutely distraught and shaken. He is a confident, laid back boy, exceptionally bright and gets on with everyone. This is completely outside of his sphere of experience.
The VP spoke with the other boy straight away, and although he admitted punching DS in the head, he denied kicking him in the testicles and his explanation was that he had lent money to DS at an event and he hadn't paid it back. We got DS medically examined - he had 8 huge swellings on his head, black eyes, was badly concussed, and there was extensive bruising to his groin. The story about lending DS money could not possibly have happened as there are numerous witnesses at the event where the boy claimed this occurred.
The VP has concluded that the other boy therefore lied about kicking DS in the balls, and also about his explanation as to the background.
The impact on DS was considerable - he was in the middle of his AS / A level exams and he couldn't focus as he was so badly concussed and shaken up. DS has his sights set on Oxbridge and this boy's actions have jeopardised that. His individual exam results clearly show a huge difference pre and post assault.
DS started back to school last week. The other boy was doing his GCSEs, and to be honest my expectation was that he would not be invited to return to the school to start A levels given the unprovoked attack, that he then lied about what he had done and then tried to call DS's integrity into question by claiming it was over owed money.
The boy is back, starting his A levels. I asked DS about it tonight, and he is still very emotional about it. He said that he had seen the boy about school but has tried to ignore him. He was very obviously trying to hold tears back when speaking about it and is clearly traumatised. He was told before the end of last term by the VP that the boy had been punished, but not what that entailed.
I have said to DS that I will speak to school, but I am not sure what is reasonable to expect. I would have thought school should not have invited the boy back to do his A levels after what he did, but appreciate I am not impartial. What support/reassurance should school be providing to DS?