I READ your article about bullying with much interest and sympathy. I too have had experience of this never-ending problem. My eldest son started school in 1997 with the wrong attitude and made enemies but, as time went on, he realised that this was not the right course and began to show much more maturity in his attitude and social skills. But the other children did not and he was constantly picked on in school and on the bus journey home.

I would contact the school and go in to discuss the situation with the relevant parties only to have the tables turned and told that my son was initially to blame.

On one occasion the school phoned me to say that he had a head injuries due to being hit in the face with a toilet door. I went to the school and found that he had a deep cut in his eyebrow which needed hospital attention, when I enquired as to the circumstances of his injuries I was told he was trying to help a first-year child who was being bullied by two older boys and, when he intervened, the door was banged shut in his face with such force that the cut took four stitches to close and he will have a scar there for a very long time.

I was never informed as to the steps that the school took to ensure that these children were made aware that this form of behaviour was not acceptable. He also had his crutches kicked from underneath him when he had a badly sprained ankle, again the school phoned and I had to return him to the hospital.

He went to the headmaster with a list of names of boys and girls who were literally making his life hell whilst he was at school, I went in to have a meeting only to be led to believe that I had the child from hell.

My son decided that he would not attend school and on many mornings he would set out for school but not go, or he would pretend to be sick. If I went into the school to complain about a particular person I would, nine times out of ten, be told that this child had problems at home or had very low social skills. I am sorry but it is up to the school to ensure that all the children in their care are safe and secure in their environment.

They did nothing at all to try and find solutions to my son's problem. He missed the last few weeks of the summer term as the school did not send any work for him to do as they said they would. In September he started at another school and is extremely happy there and is doing very well with his work.

Concerned parent

Dorrington Road

Lancaster

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