Bridgewater Primary School

During my time at this school, I initially enjoyed the fun and engaging activities, and both students and teachers were nice. However, things changed when I reached Year 4. The students became meaner, and so did the staff. When I made mistakes, instead of being corrected, I was screamed at, even being called a "disgrace to the school" at just 9 years old.

In addition to the verbal attacks from teachers, I was bullied both verbally and physically by other students from Year 4 to Year 6. Teachers often yelled at me, sometimes for simple things like talking during lessons or making small mistakes. One time, in Year 4, I asked for a breakfast bar, and the teacher angrily slammed it on the table and snapped, “Eat it up then, missy.”

Another time, I politely asked the headteacher to switch seats because my classmate had made racist comments toward me. She and another teacher screamed, “YOU SIT WHERE YOU'RE MEANT TO SIT, YOU'RE NOT ENTITLED TO CHOOSE!” I ended up crying at my desk until my head of year dragged me to eat alone in a dark office. I was only 10 years old and couldn’t understand why I was being treated this way.

Although there were some enjoyable moments, my mental health suffered greatly. I went home crying almost every day, either from being bullied by staff or students. When I reported the bullying, the staff confronted the students, but the next day they ganged up on me, kicking me to the ground and laughing.

By the end of Year 6, I was desperate to leave, and thankfully, I did. While the school might be a good fit for others, my experience was filled with racism, bullying, and emotional harm, both from students and staff.