AN ANGRY mother has removed her daughter from a Ryedale school claiming she was bullied and that staff then refused to listen to her story.

Susan Darby, of Abbotts Court, Norton, has taken Gemma, seven, from Norton Primary School which she has attended for the last two years, and is now looking for an alternative school.

Mrs Darby said the trouble started last week when, she claimed, a boy in Gemma's class broke her pencil. Then two days later she said the same boy had kicked and punched her, and when Gemma complained about this, the teacher told her to get on with her work.

Two days after that the boy is said to have punched Gemma again, and when she made a face at him the boy told the teacher that Gemma had been making the face at her.

Mrs Darby arranged to see head teacher Roy Smith about the situation, but when she met him she claimed Mr Smith told Gemma it was her fault and she had been making faces at the teacher.

"Basically they were saying she was a liar," Mrs Darby added.

Mrs Darby said she had not wanted a row but had walked out with Gemma because of Mr Smith's attitude. She had no intention of sending Gemma back and was trying to find an alternative place for her.

Mr Smith said he could not comment on individual cases, but the school had a very strong policy on children's behaviour. The school had followed this, but the process had not been completed because the child had been removed from school. The chairman of the school's governors, Jean Howell, said she had not been approached by Mrs Darby and could not comment on her case. But she was sure governors would be prepared to speak with Mrs Darby or pass Mrs Howell's name and address on to her.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said education officials were arranging to see Mrs Darby and discuss the problem.

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