Is enough being done to tackle bullying in our schools?

There is no denying that it remains a problem. Some people have called on schools to do more to tackle the issue before it gets out of hand, while others believe the onus is on parents to teach their children right from wrong.

The effects of bullying can be devastating. Harriet Nicol, 16, from Billericay, took her own life because of the “unkindness” she faced at school and bickering with her peers.

Shockingly, the problem of bullying often starts at primary school.

Leanne Keenleyside, from Bowers Gifford, told how she had to take her ten-year-old daughter Jamie-Leigh, out of St Margaret’s Primary School, in London Road, due to her being repeatedly bullied.

She said: “It was awful. It happened for about a year and a half.

“There was one girl who kicked and punched her and left bruises.

“She suffered with panic attacks and didn’t want to go to school.”

She is now attending private school – St John’s, in Stock Road, Billericay, and Leanne said her daughter is much more settled there.

She added: “The school could have done more to stop it.

“They would keep my daughter in to keep her safe, rather than the bully.

“They seemed to want to protect her more than my daughter.

“It is, of course, also the responsibility of the parent, but the school should have done more at the time.

“She is doing much better at St John’s and is really enjoying being at the school.”

The Echo contacted St Margaret’s and St John’s schools for comment but did not receive a response before going to print.

Dad Kev Byrne, from Leigh, believes bullying needs to be addressed early on. He said: “It’s a serious problem that needs addressing.

“For many it goes on all through there school years.

“Many kids are left so distraught they take their own lives.

“More action is necessary with more school lectures in assembly.”

Jordan Carrington, from Basildon, told how childhood bullying destroyed her education, adding: “I was bullied in secondary school day in and day out. It was horrible. I felt completely worthless.

“The school didn’t really care, not until the police was called but even then nothing was done about it.

“It was so bad, I dropped out of school because it made me so ill.”

After the Echo reported that inspectors were impressed by the progress Cecil Jones Academy, in Southend, was making in dealing with behaviour, a number of parents got in touch with their concerns.

Kelsey Sonn, 17, who attended Cecil Jones in 2010, said the bullying then was “horrendous” and she was regularly beaten up.

Other parents described their children suffering post traumatic stress from incidents and injuries that required hospital treatment.

Bev Williams, chief executive of the Legra Trust, which includes Cecil Jones, said the school is addressing concerns. She added: “What we do is look at the whole child and work with them to make sure they leave whatever problems they have outside of school, outside of school.”