Bullying

scrattletrap

I presume this is a common complaint but my eight year old is having a hard time in school, mostly due to one other boy who is constantly "at" him, taking his things, pushing him, hitting him. On one occasion he jumped on his back on the way home from school choking him in the process. A neighbour of mine tried to get the boy off him but the boy wouldn't listen.
I went to the school so many times because of this. The jumping incident I was pretty much told that they couldn't do anything about it as it was outside the school gate.
I always told my child to complain if this was happening which he did for the first six months but not the teacher tells him to stop whining, so he is very slow to tell at all.
He use to love school but a few weeks ago he said to his grandmother "you never see me coming out of school with a smile on my face anymore"
I collect him from the door of the school now.

Beruthiel

has the teacher spoken to this bully's parents?

sharonlarkin

If the teacher does nothing, go to the headmaster, if he does nothing tell him you want a meeting with the school board. He will definitely do something then cause he will have to answer to them for not doing anything.

Beruthiel

that is defo the way to go

scrattletrap

I don't think the teacher has spoken to the parents. And I don't know them personally (except by reputation) so haven't confronted them myself.
I have spoken to the teacher and to the head. One improvement has been made but I think that was more to do with the lollipop lady than me. The head now stands at the gate and watches the kids go down the road (well a little).
I will go back in and say it again but I feel I'm being fobbed off, this time I will say about the Board meeeting though, thanks

Beruthiel

Stick at it, your little fella needs to feel happy and safe in school,
it is the teachers responsibility to make sure he is. Push it till they sort it

luckat

Might I suggest that you could contact the TCD bullying centre? They come in to schools and do presentations on bullying, which often have a great effect, I'm told. http://www.abc.tcd.ie/

If this is happening to your son, it's probably happening to other kids too. And the idea that the teacher isn't responding is worrying.

Meanwhile, would you think of putting your worries in writing to the headmaster, saying in the letter that after several verbal references you're now taking the more formal step of writing...

It does sound kind of ideal for the TCD group, though.

scrattletrap

Had another meeting with the Head and the Teacher today, they finally acknowledged the severity of the situation and have insisted that it will stop although they wouldn't tell me if they were going to call the child's parents in. I have decided to keep my son back and hopefully he can start a fresh in September. Thanks all.