Email to school about bullying
Email to your child's school flagging bullying (online, offline, or both) and asking what the school will do.
When to use this template
Use when your child has been repeatedly targeted by another pupil or group of pupils, and you want the school to investigate under its anti-bullying policy.
Tone guidance
- Use the word "bullying" in the subject so it is logged correctly.
- Describe behaviour, not character. "They have been excluded from group chats" is stronger than "the other children are nasty".
- Make clear whether your child knows you are writing.
- Ask for named contacts, steps, and timescales — these are reasonable to request.
Template
Subject: [SUBJECT LINE] Dear [CLASS TEACHER / HEAD OF YEAR / DSL], I am writing about bullying involving my child, [YOUR CHILD'S NAME] in [YEAR GROUP]. What has been happening: this has been going on for [HOW LONG], and includes [TYPES OF BEHAVIOUR]. It is happening [WHERE]. Impact on my child: [IMPACT] What my child wants: [WHAT YOUR CHILD WANTS] I would be grateful if the school could: [WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR] I understand the school has an anti-bullying policy and I would like this concern logged and looked into under that policy. Please could you confirm: - Who will lead on this for the school. - What steps the school plans to take. - When I can expect an update. I have kept a short log of incidents with dates and can share it on request. My child knows I am writing this email and is comfortable with it. Kind regards, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR PHONE / EMAIL]
Fields to replace
Before sending, swap every bracketed placeholder for your own details. If a field does not apply, delete the whole line.
- Subject line
[SUBJECT LINE] - Recipient
[CLASS TEACHER / HEAD OF YEAR / DSL] - Your child's name
[YOUR CHILD'S NAME] - Year group / class
[YEAR GROUP] - How long this has been going on
[HOW LONG] - Types of behaviour
[TYPES OF BEHAVIOUR]e.g. name-calling, exclusion, messages, group chat content, physical, image-based.
- Where it is happening
[WHERE]Classroom, corridor, online, on the bus, etc.
- Impact on your child
[IMPACT] - What your child wants
[WHAT YOUR CHILD WANTS]Some children want it to stop but do not want to confront. Make this clear.
- What you are asking for
[WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR] - Your name
[YOUR NAME] - Contact details
[YOUR PHONE / EMAIL]
What to attach
- A short incident log with dates and brief descriptions.
- Screenshots if there is an online element (cropped or redacted if appropriate).
- Any previous emails on the same issue.
What not to include
- Other pupils' personal details beyond what is necessary.
- Comparisons to other families or speculation about parenting.
- Threats to remove your child from the school or to involve the press.
- Statements like "I will sue" — these usually slow things down.
Related
External sources
- Anti-Bullying Alliance: advice for parents and carers — Anti-Bullying Alliance
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.