PA
A mum of four has revealed how she pulled her children out of school after they were ALL targeted by school bullies.
Stacey Winfindale, 37, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, had already gone to court to fight for her 14 year-old son, Jed, who was badly beaten up.
But instead of deterring the bullies, it actually made matters worse and they started picking on her other children, too.
Stacey told The Mirror that Jed was in his technology class at Maltby Academy when a classmate started misbehaving. The teacher had sent the boy out, but as the teacher went to look for help, the bully returned and attacked Jed, leaving him with bruised arms and ribs, and swollen neck and shoulders.
Jed's attacker was suspended for just two days, which angered Stacey so much she decided to take legal action against the school.
"Two days is nothing," said Stacey, a barmaid. "There was no way Jed could go back to school while that bully was still there, so I kicked up a stink and eventually they excluded him.
"But it was still weeks before Jed could return. He'd wake up in the middle of the night crying and screaming.
"The school should have done more."
In court, Rotherham Borough Council was ordered to pay a four-figure sum for negligence and breach of statutory duty, making Jed the first child in the country to receive compensation after being attacked by a bully.
But it didn't stop Jed being picked on. When he went back to school, the bully's mates turned on him. And then when Jed met up with his older sister Chloe, 15, they targeted her, too.
"They sent her threatening messages and spread rumours about her," Stacey said.
"Then my younger two, Caitlin, eight, and Benjamin, five, were sworn and shouted at while I walked them to primary school. It got to the pint where all four of my kids were scared to go to school."
Stacey said she complained but nothing was done, so she eventually removed all her children from school and says they won't return until she's satisfied they'll be safe.
"I've had to re-arrange my shifts so I can teach them at home," she said. "They're much happier, but they should be at school."
David Sutton, the principal of Maltby Academy, told the Mirror: "We have clear policies and procedures to deal with all instances of bullying and anti-social behaviour. There is an extensive range of student support structures within the academy. In this case, the academy has communicated regularly with the family and responded appropriately to all the allegations made."