GOVERNORS at Rose Hill Primary School have broken their silence over a row between the school and a parent about a campaign on her Facebook page.

Mum-of-five Samantha Barson was warned by the school she faced legal action if a campaign to highlight her son’s alleged bullying at the school contained any defamatory comments about headteacher Sue Mortimer.

Following the story in the Oxford Mail last Monday, a letter was sent to the paper by chairman of governors Ali Akkas and his deputy Robin Gill denying Mrs Barson’s claims that bullying was a problem at the school.

Mrs Barson has called the governors’ comments “complete nonsense”.

The letter branded the original story “one-sided” and claimed the Oxford Mail did not “verify the facts” – despite the headteacher, governors and Oxfordshire County Council all repeatedly refusing to comment on the issue.

In a jointly-signed statement, Mr Akkas and Mr Gill said: “Sue Mortimer met with Mrs Barson within 48 hours of her complaint being raised.

“Rose Hill operates the county complaints procedure to settle any disagreement quickly and fairly. Mrs Barson has a copy of that procedure but has chosen not to follow it.

“In our letter, we offered to meet Mrs Barson in person in order to resolve her concerns. No request for a meeting has reached us.

“The resolution of Mrs Barson’s complaint lies through calm discussion in an atmosphere of mutual respect, an opportunity that is still available should she wish to use it.”

They also said bullying at the school was not a “huge problem”, adding: “Every reported case of bullying – of pupils, or indeed of staff – is treated as a serious issue and is dealt with firmly and professionally.

“In 2008, Ofsted reported that ‘pupils were adamant that bullying, once commonplace in the classroom and playground, is no longer such an issue’.”

Mrs Barson branded the letter “patronising” and claimed her son had suffered more bullying last week.

She said: “I didn’t see Mrs Mortimer within 48 hours, it was more like three days.

“These two men say there is no problem yet I was back in school on Wednesday for yet another meeting.

“My son was pretending to be ill and when I asked him for the truth he said three older boys had jumped on his arm in the playground.

“You only have to listen to how many parents have come forward to say their children have been targeted.

“The school is burying its head in the sand.”

Parents responded to Mrs Barson’s appeal on Facebook to let her know if their children were also being bullied.

The school applied to the site to remove the comments, but a Facebook spokesman said an investigation revealed none of the comments contravened its policies.

Mrs Barson added: “This letter is extremely patronising. I have tried to contact Mrs Mortimer in past and got fobbed off with the school manager.

“They talk about a ‘calm atmosphere’ and ‘mutual respect’ but I have seen very little evidence of the school behaving in that way.”

Mrs Mortimer has again not returned calls from the Oxford Mail.

Is your child being bullied at Rose Hill Primary School? Call Dan Hearn on 01865 425498.