Hertswood's headteacher this week spoke out to defend his school against claims that it has not done enough to stop bullying amongst its pupils.

Ian Lucas responded to concerns raised by two Borehamwood mothers who have moved their children away from Hertswood because of bullying.

One of the parents took her 12-year-old son out of Hertswood in the summer, and now plans to move her 11-year-old boy to a different school.

The other kept her 11-year-old son out of school for seven weeks last term, because she was worried about him suffering further abuse.

Mr Lucas said: "The vast majority of the pupils are happy here the behaviour is nowhere near as bad as at other schools I have been in."

He admitted a small number of children had moved from Hertswood, but claimed this was because they did not fit in or their parents were unhappy.

Mr Lucas said the school was reviewing its approach to bullying, and was offering counselling to pupils who complained they were being picked on.

But one mother said: "The teachers just don't do anything about the bullying they are so busy, nobody has time to deal with these situations."

She found a new school for her eldest son when he became too upset to return to Hertswood, due to name calling and damage to his possessions.

She claimed that, because her 11-year-old son had been punched and spat on, she also wanted to move him from Hertswood as soon as possible.

The second mother said her son had been put on medication by his GP because he was suffering panic attacks, as a result of bullying at school.

"He was bullied for nine months, both physically and verbally Hertswood failed to stop the bullying and he was reduced to a nervous wreck."

Despite warnings that she could be prosecuted, she kept her son out of Hertswood for seven weeks, until she found an alternative school to send him to.

She criticised the school for failing to take into account the records of children who had been reprimanded for bullying at their previous school.

However, Mr Lucas argued that it would not be fair for teachers to judge new pupils arriving at the school on their behaviour in the past.

He claimed that the records were referred to when complaints were made, and that pupils who bullied risked suspension or permanent exclusion from the school.

October 31, 2001 16:54

By MARK FOY