[pendy]

Willow, if you get no joy from the head, go to one of the governors. There is a list of governors, with addresses and sometimes contact numbers, held at the school, and you have an absolute right to have that. In fact, it should be circulated every year with the governors' report to parents. There should be at least two parent governors, who would probably be the best to approach.

Sadly, my son (although tall and hefty) was bullied at school, verbally and very nastily, by a smaller but evil-minded boy in the same year. We tried all the usual methods, approaching the school, discussing it, etc, but it still went on. It finally ended when the bully went too far, Miles picked him up by his shirt front, held him against a wall, and said "You see what I could do to you if I chose?". Bully burst into tears, and never bullied much again. Unfortunately, sometimes this is the only way to get a result. I don't recommend it necessarily, but it does work. It worked for me in the school playground at the age of 5, when a much bigger girl got me into a corner and proceeded to hit me. I went mad, and punched and kicked her very hard. She ran off howling. No more bullying. It does sometimes bring home to the bully what it is like to be on the receiving end - bullies are usually pretty inadequate anyway, and thus are easily taken down with the right method.