If your complaints to the head teacher, governors and LEA haven't worked then you can complain to Ed Balls the Education Minister at the Department for Children, Schools and Families. The DCSF used to be called the DfES and before that the DfEE.The DCSF thinks that the LEA should treat all allegations of bullying seriously and should investigate them with the school concerned. However, it's up to the LEA to decide the extent of the investigation.
Where there are conflicting accounts of events the LEA should try to establish which account is the most accurate. It will be relevant to consider factors such as the seriousness of the alleged incidents and the number of pupils involved.
Although pupil behaviour issues are primarily the school's responsibility, the DCSF believes the LEA should consider using its powers to intervene where necessary, for example where the education of pupils at a school is being severely prejudiced by the school's failure to take adequate steps to deal with bullying.
Even if the LEA does not directly intervene, it can provide help from the Education Welfare Service or advise on a possible change of school if requested by the parents. In cases where intervention is considered unnecessary, but the problem subsequently escalates, the LEA might need to review their earlier decision. However, the DCSF says that any decision whether to exclude an alleged bully is exclusively a matter for the head teacher.
Whether an LEA's response is considered adequate will depend on the circumstances of the case and the extent of hard information available. The DCSF says the views of the alleged victim (or their parents) are relevant but not paramount.
The child must still be a pupil at the school for DCSF to actThe DCSF can only investigate complaints about bullying while the child is still a pupil at the school, if the parents request this in writing, and providing the local channels of complaint have been exhausted. These are: to contact the headteacher, the chair of governors and the LEA (in that order).
In bullying cases, unless the parent's complaint is particularly targeted at the LEA, the Department will normally only investigate the alleged actions or omissions of the school concerned.
Your MP can be very helpful because his/her inquiry to the DCSF will get priority.
Other pages in this sectionBullying policies
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Role of the DCSF
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Is my child being bullied?
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School bus bullies
Practical help with racism
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Dealing with racism
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How does bullying make a child feel?
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Dealing with a younger bully
Adults' survey results
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Teachers' survey results
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Contacting the school
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Access to pupil records
Contacting the Governors and LEAa
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Is my child a bully?
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Who can help on racism
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Parents' problem page
If your child is bullying others
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Do you share blame?
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Dealing with an older bully
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Teacher bullying
Home schooling
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Bullying in sport
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Parents' panel - Have your say
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Parents' survey results
Moving your child to a new school
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Pupils' survey results
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Taking legal action
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Bullying outside school
Independent and private schools
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Model letters to help your complaint
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National Bullying Survey 2006