Getting nowhere with a school

[Hurricane Puffrose]

My sister A has 2 kids, twins, and they attend a high school near their home.
My sister has had nothing but bother, firstly they are kicking off as neice A has the wrong socks, they don't have the school logo on them and cost £3 a pair, then it's the wrong trousers, they want her in uniform (£12 a pair) black trousers as the colour changes with the year, but fail to realise that Neice is too tall for a 1st year's uniform (12 and 5'6).

My neice J is small (non identical twins) and has been subjected to bullying, name calling and teachers yelling at her as she stammers badly, and the school are aware of it. Each time she comes home crying A calls school and they promise it is being dealt with.

Their idea of "dealing with it" is telling my neices to "befriend the bullies and widen your circle of friends".

2 days ago, the girls were attacked on the bus by bullies, yes I mean attacked. They were surrounded and had a bottle of water poured over them, then had empty plastic bottles pelted at them, and Neice A got smashed in the face with a full bottle to the extent she has a black eye and at one time we thought her nose was broken.

We have reported it to the police, who's first answer was speak to school. Sis went round with the Ex both guns blazing, ready to stand off, and spoke to the Head Of Year, who has made all sorts of promises, including to call her by 8 am today, and nothing has happened.
She is being fobbed off, ignored and is now blaming herself for not having a landline and needing to be called on a mobile.

Advice is appreciated, as my attitude is, Get them the hell out of that school and sue the school bare!

[leclerc]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

My sister A has 2 kids, twins, and they attend a high school near their home.
My sister has had nothing but bother, firstly they are kicking off as neice A has the wrong socks, they don't have the school logo on them and cost £3 a pair, then it's the wrong trousers, they want her in uniform (£12 a pair) black trousers as the colour changes with the year, but fail to realise that Neice is too tall for a 1st year's uniform (12 and 5'6).

My neice J is small (non identical twins) and has been subjected to bullying, name calling and teachers yelling at her as she stammers badly, and the school are aware of it. Each time she comes home crying A calls school and they promise it is being dealt with.

Their idea of "dealing with it" is telling my neices to "befriend the bullies and widen your circle of friends".

2 days ago, the girls were attacked on the bus by bullies, yes I mean attacked. They were surrounded and had a bottle of water poured over them, then had empty plastic bottles pelted at them, and Neice A got smashed in the face with a full bottle to the extent she has a black eye and at one time we thought her nose was broken.

We have reported it to the police, who's first answer was speak to school. Sis went round with the Ex both guns blazing, ready to stand off, and spoke to the Head Of Year, who has made all sorts of promises, including to call her by 8 am today, and nothing has happened.
She is being fobbed off, ignored and is now blaming herself for not having a landline and needing to be called on a mobile.

Advice is appreciated, as my attitude is, Get them the hell out of that school and sue the school bare!

A couple of choices really. The issue of uniform is something that I think they might have to grin and bear unfortunately as that is pretty much something that she has to do.

HOWEVER, the bullying is definitely something that the school do not appear to be dealing with particularly well. Has she tried escalating it to the head of the governors of the school or (i should say this quite softly.......OFSTED).

This is the law: https://www.gov.uk/bullying-at-school/the-law

There is also advice from the DofE: http://www.education.gov.uk/popularq...-being-bullied

[CleverClogs]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

The complacent idiots at the school probably still believe that it is "character forming".

It is not.

That stupid attitude was wrong even in the 1970s when someone I know suffered the top of an ear being cut off in a classroom fracas; the culprit was required to write a letter of apology, but to the headmaster rather than to the victim!

[Sapphire]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

My sister A has 2 kids, twins, and they attend a high school near their home.
My sister has had nothing but bother, firstly they are kicking off as neice A has the wrong socks, they don't have the school logo on them and cost £3 a pair, then it's the wrong trousers, they want her in uniform (£12 a pair) black trousers as the colour changes with the year, but fail to realise that Neice is too tall for a 1st year's uniform (12 and 5'6).

Puff a school uniform is there for a reason a) to hopefully make sure there is no differentiation between kids whose parents are better or worse off b) to instill some form of regulation and c) to make sure the kids go to school clean, smart and tidy, my granddaughter is also very tall, but her parents found perfectly good trousers that met the regulations in places like Primark and BHS.

Re the bullying, they really do need to perhaps talk to the head of governors as advised by Leclerc, you see I'm from the old school, I was told to fight back, but that was in the days when it was a slap and no weapons were about.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

My niece J is small ... and has been subjected to ... teachers yelling at her as she stammers badly

That is itself bullying and should not be tolerated for one instant.

The trouble may be one of getting evidence of what has been done by the teacher(s). Does the child have a mobile 'phone with a decent voice recording feature?

[Inca]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

If my son had been assaulted on a school bus to that extent I would be frogmarching a copper into the school and getting the little shits arrested.
As for the bullying teacher.........he/she wouldn't be so quick to try it with my kid again (and trust me,,after a visit from me he/she wouldn't be so keen to)

[labman]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

The most serious of the accusations you have stated is the incident on the bus. While the school can (and should) talk to the pupils involved in the incident, this is actually not the school's problem, it is the problem of the bus company, and specifically the bus driver for allowing this behaviour on his bus.

Uniform is there for a very useful purpose. If there is an issue of affordability re having the right socks with logos on etc.... talk to the school about it, you may find they can help.

As for the other bullying incident I wouldn't go near the Chair of Governors yet. However, I would write formally to the Head of Year asking for a copy of the school's Policy on Bullying by dd/mm/yyyy, state what has happened (including the bus incident) and ask what they intend to do about it, and when this will be done.

If they fail to do this, escalate it to the Headteacher in writing (as with DCA's everything in writing for the avoidance of doubt), with copies of what you sent to the Head of Year and what was promised.

If the Headteacher fails to do anything, pm me!

Bear in mind though, and I would never condone bullying, that children do have to learn to deal with their own problems to some extent. Clearly some of the ones you have mentioned are serious. As far as the stammer goes, if teachers are picking on her, keep a written record of it - perhaps even record it on a mobile. This should immediately be a formal written complaint about the teacher - ask for a copy of the Complaints Procedure and follow it to the letter.

I've just been through some issues with my daughter and her secondary school, and the school is now using me to check all their policies, many of which are being re-written after my complaints.

Shouting and going in all guns blazing is unlikely to get you anywhere other than thrown out of the school for abusive behaviour.

[Inca]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

So,,when she's done all that Lab,,,can she then go in and rip the teacher a new one? msl:

[labman]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

She can, if there's a better one nearby, send them to a different school. Beating of teachers is best left to their wives -
I know!

:beagle:

[CleverClogs]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

So,,when she's done all that Lab,,,can she then go in and rip the teacher a new one? msl:

Only if the teacher consents, surely?

[CleverClogs]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

Beating of teachers is best left to their wives

Or their husbands, as appropriate.

[Inca]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

Picture the scene.......Me marching in to the school for a showdown with the Head......Head spots me and dives out,,,gets in his car and ''goes to a meeting that's going to take all day''
msl:

[enquirer]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

Their idea of "dealing with it" is telling my neices to "befriend the bullies and widen your circle of friends".

The usual trendy psychobabble.

We have reported it to the police, who's first answer was speak to school. Sis went round with the Ex both guns blazing, ready to stand off, and spoke to the Head Of Year, who has made all sorts of promises, including to call her by 8 am today, and nothing has happened.

File written complaints with the school, local authority and the Police (get a crime, not an incident number). Make it clear to the police that this was a serious assault and you expect action. Should they not want to know, make a complaint against them.

Advice is appreciated, as my attitude is, Get them the hell out of that school and sue the school bare!

Yes. She should let slip that 'legal advice is being sought'.

[labman]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

If a school discovers legal advice is being sought, they will clam up on the advice of the LEA Legal Department and concentrate on preparing a defence.

I don't think that is a solid suggestion personally. Agree with the rest though! :beagle:

[des8]

Re: Getting nowhere with a school

[QUOTE=enquirer;344878]


File written complaints with the school, local authority and the Police (get a crime, not an incident number). Make it clear to the police that this was a serious assault and you expect action. Should they not want to know, make a complaint against them.

That's the way to go! One of our children was being continually bullied, and the only response was platitudes until we reported to the police an assault (that drew blood and took place during a lesson in front of a teacher) and had it logged as a crime. The school weren't happy about the whole class being interviewed by plod, and even more unhappy when they realized we were quite prepared to follow up with civil action. From then on they actually implemented their written bullying policy!
If the school continually fail to act responsibly get tough.... it's your child you're safeguarding and if the bullies get away with mild (?) bullying it is likely to escalate.