A MOTHER of three has accused a St Albans headteacher of allowing "systematic bullying" to go unchecked in his school.

Mrs Francesca Day is calling for a full investigation into Beaumont School's bullying policy amid claims that it failed to provide statutory care for her 12-year-old son.

She says her son was forced to endure a three-month campaign of terror as he became the target of bullies who taunted him and called him "fat".

But as the abuse escalated from name-calling to incidents of physical violence, Mrs Day claims that staff failed to address her attempts to alert them to her son's plight.

In the worst attack, her son was left with a black eye and throttle marks around his neck after being set upon as he walked home from the Oakwood Drive school.

Fearing for his safety, she refused to send him back to class until a solution could be found, and last month she removed from Beaumont's register permanently.

Speaking this week, Mrs Day, of Burnam Road, St Albans, said: "I am heartbroken at giving up his place at a school which is ranked within the top 80 in the country.

"But while I feel passionate about my children's education, their safety and happiness is of paramount importance."

Despite alerting staff to the problem in May, Mrs Day claims that they failed to act and then suspended her son from lessons when he retaliated against the ringleader.

After failing to secure a meeting to address the problem, she issued a formal complaint against the school in September, citing headteacher Mr Graham Yapp's failure to address her son's "systematic bullying".

She said: "Beaumont School has let my son down by failing to deal with and protect him from these bullies but worse it has now let him down further by not wanting to put it right."

Mrs Day met Mr Yapp and an education welfare officer last month in a last-ditch attempt at a resolution, but she claims the headteacher failed to show her the school's bullying policy or explain how her son could get help.

"Beaumont School provided my son with excellent education and he was happy, settled and progressing well until the bullying started.

"But I have now exhausted every avenue possible to secure a safer environment for him and every other pupil at Beaumont. Sadly I failed, and I feel very let down and disappointed by the school."

This week Mr Yapp confirmed the school would be investigating her complaint, but said: "We decline to give a detailed response because we do not believe it's in his best interests to have a public debate."

Mr Mark Roberts of Hertfordshire County Council's conciliation and appeals service met with Mrs Day last week to discuss her formal complaint against Beaumont School.

He said that while county issued guidelines to schools about how to deal with bullying, it had no power to ensure that they were followed.

"We can strongly strongly advise schools but have no force of law," said Mr Roberts.

He added that the county council could offer schools guidance, support and advice to deal with bullying, but stressed it was up to schools to tackle the problem as part of their overall "behaviour management" strategy.

"We must look at how schools deal with the perpetrators and how they enable pupils to report their concerns. Not all schools are effectively looking at both ends."

Mr Roberts added that he would encourage Beaumont's governors to look into Mrs Day's complaint to see, "whether there are lessons that the school needs to learn."

"If Mrs Day remains dissatisfied with the governors findings she can pursue her complaint with the Secretary of State," he said.

But St Albans MP Kerry Pollard who has also met with Mrs Day, said her son's case highlighted the need for schools to implement adequate student support networks such as the Chips mentor scheme run by St Albans Girls' School.

"He's been bullied and bullied badly," he said. "We shouldn't let kids go down that route.

"I will do all I can to help him and his mum through this process and I will be taking it up with Graham Yapp to make sure they've got adequate procedures in place," he added.

However, Mr Bob Carstairs, assistant general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, spoke of the difficulties facing headteachers trying to balance the needs of bullies with those of their victims.

He said: "Heads are very aware of their responsibilities, there is a protocol issued by most authorities. One of the biggest problems for heads is to be aware of what happens outside school premises, but most are more than willing to provide discipline when it's perceived to be necessary."

October 17, 2001 15:49

Shannon Price