WhatsApp Support Service

Our new WhatsApp service is now live. You can message us on 07441 444125 to connect with our team for support with parenting and family life worries.

Find out more Dismiss

What to do if the school doesn't resolve the bullying

7min read

It can be really distressing for families to find out that the bullying is still continuing even after involving the school. At this point, you may have sought assistance from the class teacher, onto the head teacher and the chair of governors. This article provides you with the next steps you can take if you have complained to the school and they have not been able to resolve the bullying. 

Key Points:

  • If you have complained to the head and you are not happy with their response, the next step is to contact the chair of governors. You can get their name and contact details from the school office
  • Ask for a copy of your child's school record. The governors have a legal obligation to provide this within 15 school days, excluding weekends and holidays, but you will be asked to pay for photocopying
  • We would encourage you to get in touch with your MP and ask them for some assistance and support if the bullying is still not resolved 

On this page

Contact the governors about bullying

After a written complaint to the head, the next step is to contact the chair of governors. You can get their name from the school office. Write to them at the school address. Explain the background and enclose any letters between you and the head. Ask for an immediate investigation. It's unlikely that all governors will be made aware of your complaint.

This is because many issues are dealt with as 'Chair's Action' and the chair may hope to get the matter resolved with the head teacher quickly. The other reason not all governors will be made aware of the complaint is because the matter may escalate into an exclusion of the bully. If that happens the bullied child's parents will have a right of appeal and there need to be some governors without prior knowledge of the case.

When you complain to the chair, send a copy of your complaint to your local councillor and ask for a meeting with him/her. Political parties have representatives on school governing bodies and if your local councillor is not one of them, he/she will have contacts who are.

Ask for a copy of your child's school record

Ask for a copy of your child's school record. The governors have a legal obligation to provide this within 15 school days, excluding weekends and holidays, but you will be asked to pay for photocopying.

This might also be the time that you become aware that other children are being targeted by this bully or bullies. Your child may not be the only target and you may find other families are willing to speak up too. 

Complaining to the Local Education Authority

If this doesn't work, the next step is for you to make a formal complaint to the Local Education Authority (LEA) and ask for an investigation to be carried out and a report issued. Their aim is to foster good relations between families and schools and will help them work together to get things resolved. 

In fairness to LEAs, it should be said that where pupils are removed from one school to another due to bullying the LEA would not necessarily know about the problem unless parents tell them. They do not need to be involved in a school transfer unless there is an appeal for a place.

You may want to ask the LEA if other complaints of bullying have been reported to them involving the same school. You can ask if the education welfare officer has been involved. They have to visit pupils whose parents have removed them and who are at home. This may prompt the LEA into asking if the school has a problem if there have been a series of complaints.

Taking matters further

Local Government Ombudsman - If you do not feel that your concerns have been properly investigated, you can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman - who cannot investigate the internal workings of schools but can look at the LEA's role in investigating your complaint.

Your local Member of Parliament - We would encourage you to get in touch with your MP and ask them for some assistance and support. If you are unsure who your MP is, please click here and enter your details and it will let you know who your MP is. 

Secretary of State - Your final recourse is to the Secretary of State for Education at House of Commons where your complaint may be dealt with by the Pupils and Parents branch. Officials can only order action to be taken if your child is still a pupil at the school, so if he/she has been removed, there is unlikely to be anything the Secretary of State will do.

Red Balloon - If you feel your child has suffered the trauma of bullying and may find it difficult to return to mainstream school, you may want to find out more about Red Balloon. They provide an 'intensive care' full-time education for children aged between 9 and 18 who are unable to go to school because they have been severely bullied or who have suffered trauma. Moving schools because of bullying could be a last resort option to consider.

Sample letters

To the Director of Education (at county council/metropolitan HQ, address in phone book).

I am writing to you regarding the continued unresolved bullying incidents involving my child who is a student at [ENTER NAME OF SCHOOL]. Despite having reported these incidents to the school on multiple occasions, the bullying has not been resolved.

The bullying my child has endured has included (GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE BULLYING INCIDENTS INCLUDING DATES)

I have asked the school to provide a duty of care to my child and given them detailed information about the bullying incidents. I have requested that the school take immediate action to address the situation and protect my child from the bullying.

Unfortunately, the school has not taken sufficient steps to resolve the issue. My child continues to experience emotional distress and academic issues because of the bullying. They are experiencing (DESCRIBE HOW YOUR CHILD IS FEELING) and I am very worried about their emotional and mental health. I believe that the school is failing in its duty to provide a safe and supportive learning environment and I feel that this is a safeguarding issue.

Please can you investigate this and request that the school takes appropriate action to address the bullying. I believe that your intervention would be necessary to resolve this situation.

I have attached copies of relevant documentation, including [LIST OUT DOCUMENTS SUCH AS EMAILS, ETC]. I would be happy to provide any further information or meet with you to discuss this matter further.

Yours sincerely

[YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION]

To The Secretary of State of Education (Pleaase click here to find out who is in this role)

Dear Secretary of State of Education,

I am writing to you regarding the continued unresolved bullying incidents involving my child who is a student at [ENTER NAME OF SCHOOL]. Despite having reported these incidents to the school and the Local Authority (ENTER THE LOCAL AUTHORITY) on multiple occasions, the bullying has still not been resolved.

The bullying my child has endured has included (GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE BULLYING INCIDENTS INCLUDING DATES). I have asked the school to provide a duty of care to my child and given them detailed information about the bullying incidents. I have requested that the school and Local Authority take immediate action to address the situation and protect my child from the bullying.

Unfortunately, the school and the Local Authority have not taken sufficient steps to resolve the issue. My child continues to experience emotional distress and academic issues because of the bullying. They are experiencing (DESCRIBE HOW YOUR CHILD IS FEELING) and I am very worried about their emotional and mental health. I believe that the school is failing in its duty to provide a safe and supportive learning environment, and I feel that this is a safeguarding issue.

Please can you investigate this and use your authority under sections 496 and 497 of the 1996 Education Act because I believe the school and the Local Authority is acting unreasonably by failing to investigate my complaint and not resolving this bullying.

I have attached copies of relevant documentation with the head teacher, chairman of governors and the Local Authority, including [LIST OUT DOCUMENTS SUCH AS EMAILS, ETC]. I would be happy to provide any further information or meet with you to discuss this matter further.

Yours sincerely

[YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION]

Further resources

If you would like further support and advice, call our helpline on 0808 800 2222 or email us at askus@familylives.org.uk. You can talk to us online via our live chat service or message us via WhatsApp on 07441 444125 to connect with experienced professional family support workers and highly-trained volunteers. You may find it helps to find out how other parents and carers have coped with this on our online forums. We also have a range of free self-guided online parenting courses that can help through the ages and stages of parenting. 

Our online parenting information is written by experienced parenting professionals. Find out more about our content authors, how it is produced, reviewed and edited.

Last updated: December 2024