[Everglow.]

Hi Tommy,

I'm so sorry those girls have done these things to you. That's definitely not okay. It's also not okay that the head teacher has accused you of lying given that there were obviously a great many witnesses to this particular incident. I wonder if anyone who was in the canteen would be able to back you up at all? Were there any other teachers there who might be able to support you?

I know that dealing with bullies is hard, and I think you're treated this all really well. I'm glad your sessions with a professional are helping you keep control of your emotions and reactions, although I appreciate it must be really hard to do that considering how you're being treated. I'm glad you've been removed from the situation and I hope whatever route you take now helps you to feel safe again. I know from first hand experience how much bullying makes school less enjoyable, so whatever happens I hope you know you're better than them. No amount of money or designer stuff makes bullying okay.

If you feel like there's some sort of pay off happening which means you're not able to get help at school, would you feel comfortable taking it to the police? As extreme as it might seem, if you're being physically hurt and nobody is doing their duty of care to stop that, it might be able to become a police matter. The good thing is, having a lawyer on side might help. Either way, I hope you manage to find a way past this.

Remember that bullies might have many reasons to treat people badly, but none of that means they're right to do so. You deserve to have an education which is safe and comfortable, and you have the right to report this even if people are being unhelpful right now. Keep your chin up and take care.