Bullying Issue - School

Hello

I have a meeting with my daughter''s secondary school in two hours to discuss the bullying she has been suffering from for quite a while now. The bullying is verbal, and daily occurrences have been happening for some time now.

The year head is a dragon, very confrontational and aggressive - and speaking to her tends to bring out the worst in me Her idea of dealing with the bulling to request "firm evidence" and to tell my daughter it''s her fault because she "smells" (she''s doesn''t - anyone with a teenage daughter knows how much time they spend locked in the bathroom!)

The school are in no way following their own anti-bullying policy, which states that in the first instance they should accept the student''s perception of being bullied and look to move forwards, with a number of different measures. Despite both my daughter, her friends and myself approaching the school, nothing has been done, and from this year head''s attitude I don''t hold out much hope of the issue being resolved.

Does anyone have any tips on how to keep calm during this meeting and to get my points and concerns across without looking too arsey or stroppy?

Imagine the year head as sitting there with her skirt tucked inadvertently into her knickers.

repeat and repeat and repeat as calmly as you can what it is you''re looking for.

If you don''t get the answers you''re looking for, maybe bypass year head and go up one to a deputy head with pastoral responsibilities?

Thanks - I will!

I forgot to say in the original post that my daughter walked out of school yesterday and was "missing" for around 2 hours (the school didn''t inform me that she was missing) - the school have given her detention for truancy and are involving the Truancy Officer - all for a single, isolated incident, and without getting to the cause of my daughter''s need for some "time out" from the situation she is in.

Thanks Mum - I will try to keep calm. Ive already said that if today''s meeting doesn''t produce a conducive way forwards to resolving this issue then I will be approaching senior staff.

Listen to what they have to say, accept their stance on things, then calmly inform them you are not happy with how the matter is being treated and you will be taking your complaint to the local education authority and/or ofsted for them to investigate further. Then calmly stand up and walk out.

(Maybe look up which route is best to take complaints so you know where to tell them you will be complaining to! )

Be firm but polite. You know you can do it. Best of luck for the interview.

Stepper xxx