Bullied pupil feared school and going out

A teenage school pupil has said her experience of being bullied has kept her out of school for more than year, and feeling scared to go out in case she sees those responsible.

Chloe, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, said she was regularly verbally and physically bullied at school in Guernsey and will now have to resit her GCSE's at college.

Chloe and her mum reported the bullying to the school and felt like it was not sufficiently dealt with.

Nick Hynes, director of education for the States of Guernsey, said bullying was taken "extremely seriously".

"If there are concerns, families should speak with their child's school, which will investigate and provide support to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for all pupils," he added.

Chloe said the bullying caught her off guard: "One minute they were my friends and the next minute they weren't."

After being targeted in toilets, in classrooms and then outside of school, Chloe said it made her increasingly anxious.

She reported the bullying and felt as though the perpetrators were never punished, and believes she is the only person who has had to deal with any consequences of their behaviour.

She said: "I've got to go into college and do the whole year 11 again in college. I can't go out because I don't know if they're going to be there and if they're going to end up seeing me, if they're going to start on me."

Chloe's early absences were authorised by the school as shown in an email exchange between her Mum and the school.

The email chain showed a member of school staff thought early authorised absences were a good idea.

The initial absences then extended into Chloe not being in the classroom for more than a year, and left her having to find her own learning materials in order to try and work towards her exams.

Her mum said she asked for meetings to be set up with the bullies and their parents and was told it couldn't be enforced by the school.

She said she spoke with the education council and had followed the steps advised when dealing with bullying.

Regarding Chloe's agreed absences from school her mum said: "It was an unfair resolve but I think the school thought it was easier. It put her self-esteem down even lower.

"It made me feel that my parenting wasn't good enough because I couldn't keep her safe in school.

"It's had a massive impact on her education"

Both Chloe and her Mum felt the school could have done more to protect her.

• If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line.

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