My School Story – Are You Listening Now?
Adult individuals, parents or professionals were given a place to share their experiences of when school caused harm.
School Stories Submitted
Child in the 1990s, Hampshire, UK
- February 18, 2025
**Trigger Warning** My traumatic time at school nearly killed me... Read More...
Child, Rugby, UK
- February 18, 2025
**Trigger Warning** He frequently had bruises, he said a child was constantly hitting him and no one helped. Read More...
County Durham, UK
- February 18, 2025
** Trigger Warning** I was encouraged to drag him in from the car and the teachers would help. Read More...
Sophie, 18, Staffordshire, UK
- February 18, 2025
**Trigger Warning** My 100% attendance dropped to 38%, I was called defiant and confrontational. Read More...
J, South East, UK
- February 18, 2025
It was awful to see our son in so much distress, day in day out, he was so physically tense and not himself. Read More...
Vicki, Warwickshire, UK
- February 18, 2025
I definitely have trauma from school. Thinking about it makes me tearful even now Read More...
Parent story of 5yr old, Somerset, UK
- February 18, 2025
Starting school just after turning 4 my child faced daily bullying, their arm was stamped on so hard they had a shoe print bruise on their arm. Read More...
Parent, Cambridgeshire
- February 18, 2025
**Trigger Warning** The current school system is failing children, it is destroying them, and it is not safe to send them back to. Read More...
Parent, Devon, UK
- February 18, 2025
At school he really needed a 1-1 but there was no funding. Read More...
Young Person, Manchester, UK
- February 18, 2025
The Head and Deputy Head kept telling me to repeat what I'd said, but they were getting angry so I was too scared to talk. Read More...
Parent of 5: Part 1 – UK
- February 27, 2025
**Trigger Warning** We have deregistered from a primary school and a secondary school....both too worried about statistics than my child's health and happiness. Read More...
Parent of 5: Part 2 – UK
- February 27, 2025
**Trigger Warning** The last two years of primary school, after the pandemic, my happy child returned to school and was crushed. Read More...
Parent of 5: Part 3 – UK
- February 28, 2025
'No!! She can't be autistic! She's perfectly normal'. Read More...
Parent of 5: Part 4 – UK
- February 28, 2025
Preschool told us that they had selective hearing. We knew it was more. Read More...
Parent of 5: Part 5 – UK
- February 28, 2025
Reception was lovely, but year one started with red, sore lips and sleepless nights. 'We don't play much any more and the work is too hard'. Read More...
80’s School Experience – UK
- February 28, 2025
I watch, terrified, my friends eyes had glazed over and I recall thinking in my young mind, his not there, he was frozen. Read More...
Parent, Lincolnshire – UK
- February 28, 2025
My son told me he could not use the toilets unless it was break time and that they could not drink their water when they wanted to and couldn’t drink if the teacher was talking. Read More...
Parent, Warwickshire
- February 28, 2025
Daily meltdowns, disturbed sleep, bedwetting, eventually shut-down. Read More...
Parent, Northumberland – UK
- February 28, 2025
His behaviour deteriorated at home and he became explosive and physically violent, yet I was still told the problem was with home not school. Read More...
Undiagnosed in 1986 – UK
- February 28, 2025
At break time I hid so that the others wouldn't tease me over being 'slow' and 'a joke'. Read More...
Parent – UK
- February 28, 2025
**Trigger Warning** I was always told that I was over-reacting, I was too sensitive, and I needed to grow a thicker skin. Read More...
Michelle – UK
- February 28, 2025
**Trigger Warning** When I joined year 7 I was subjected to over 31 physical attacks from a group of bullies who targeted me continually. Read More...
Parent, Dorset – UK
- February 28, 2025
**Trigger Warning** Home education literally saved my daughters life! Read More...
Parent in Dorset – UK
- February 28, 2025
My son hated school, he wasn't engaged, he was bored. Read More...
Parent, Leicestershire – UK
- February 28, 2025
The curriculum is outdated, the teaching methods are outdated and many attitudes are outdated. Read More...
Sophie, UK
- February 28, 2025
**Trigger Warning** Too ashamed to tell my parents meant the head teacher kept me silenced by isolating me to shout at me in the staff room. Read More...
Parent, UK
- March 3, 2025
[My daughter] was sent for test after test for other issues, all came back negative, but affected her time in the classroom AND more importantly her confidence. Read More...
Parent, Greater Manchester
- March 3, 2025
For the first 3 years of my time in secondary school I spent almost every day in the sick room or the library as I couldn’t bring myself to go to lessons where I wasn’t supported. Read More...
Rosie, Liverpool
- March 3, 2025
My mum brought me an electronic typewriter and I loved it. Writing stories when I'd get home from school. But eventually the negative comments from school made me lose this love of storie telling. Read More...
Parent of a SEND child, London
- March 3, 2025
A support plan was only implemented a month later, which was too late. They haven't been able to attend school for over 15 months now. Read More...