Possible reasons for conflict

• Could your child be misbehaving in class?
• Is your child misinterpreting the teacher's actions?
• Is this the only teacher your child complains about?
• Is the teacher trying to get him/her to produce better work?
• Is the teacher unaware of personal circumstances in your family where jokes which might be inoffensive to most people upset your child?

Make some discreet inquiries among the parents of your child's friends. Overt unpleasant remarks are likely to be remembered by other children and reported to their parents. If other parents also have concerns about the way their children are treated then that might indicate a problem.

Discuss with your child what sort of remarks are made and in what circumstances. If your child is being criticised for not completing work but is finding the work difficult then a simple call to the head of year or a note to the teacher explaining the situation and asking for help should resolve the problem.

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We have had complaints that teachers have been tearing up pupils' work in front of them and shouting at them. This is unacceptable and parents need to make written complaints to the head teacher in these instances, and then to the governors if the problem continues, particularly if as far as you are aware your child has never had a problem with any other teacher.

How to resolve the problem

An informal approach to the head of year would be a good start but you must be prepared not to like the response if your child's behaviour is an issue. Bullying UK gets many complaints about teacher bullying accompanied by remarks like "I know my son's no angel" or "my daughter only refused to do as the teacher asked because she thought it was unfair". If a child is defiant and answers back then teachers are not going to accept that, and rightly so.

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Bullying UK will always support teachers who crack down on bad behaviour in the classroom.

If you feel you have a genuine concern and the head of year hasn't been able to resolve it then make a complaint to the head teacher and if that isn't successful to the governors.

However, it's much better to try to sort the problem out diplomatically at a much earlier stage because your child is likely to have contact with a teacher over a number of years.