Sprowston mother in stand-off with school over bullying

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Sprowston mother in stand-off with school over bullying

                                     By David HannantDHannant87Specialist reporter: health and education

A Sprowston mother is locked in a stand-off with her daughter's school after keeping her at home for the past six weeks to avoid what she describes as "brutal" bullying.

Rebecca Everson says the treatment her 12-year-old daughter Phoebe suffers has become so severe that the youngster has been left "a shell of a girl".

She says the Year 8 Sprowston Community Academy pupil is subjected to cruel messages on social media platforms like Whatsapp, Instagram and Snapchat and has abuse hurled at her by classmates regularly.

After raising her concerns with school leaders, Ms. Everson said her daughter's issues only got worse so for the past six weeks she has refused to send her in. However, she now claims the school is threatening her with fines over Phoebe's attendance record.

She said: "The bullying Phoebe has suffered has been awful. They send her messages calling her every name under the sun. It is brutal.

"I have rung the school and told them she does not feel safe at school and requested work to be sent home for her, but they have done nothing."

Ms. Everson the issue started in October last year, which she reported to Phoebe's teachers.

She said: "The school said they would talk to the girls involved, but when they did it just aggravated the situation.

"Some of the girls involved in the cyberbullying attend other schools nearby too, so moving schools is just not viable.

"Phoebe is a shell of the girl she was before this all began. She has done nothing to deserve this but now she's terrified to even go to school.

"I just feel like I'm going around and around in circles trying to get something done - it's terribly awful."

Sprowston Community Academy was approached for comment but said the school was unable to comment on individual cases.

Sprowston mother in stand-off with school over bullying | Extract taken from Eastern Daily Press (edp24.co.uk) and slightly modified.