THE mother of a five-year-old boy who was called fat and spat at has called for more to be done to stop bullying at a Salisbury school.

Laura Hymas says her son George endured months of torment at Pembroke Park Primary School after he started there in January last year.

She said that at first her son had enjoyed going to the school but by September his attitude began to change.

“It started a few months ago, his attitude was very different. He wasn’t eating, and he didn’t want to go to school which isn’t like him.”

Laura became increasingly concerned about George and after talking to him she was told that pupils at the school had been calling him fat.

“He wasn’t eating very much and was very down and quiet in himself. He would say to me ‘I can’t have that because I’m fat and it’s got sugar in it’.”

Laura and husband Adrian were shocked that in the weeks that followed, George was allegedly spat at and physically attacked.

“One day he came home from school and told me he was kicked in the groin and I had to take him to A&E where they found he had severe bruising,” she said.

The police were then called about the incident and the school were made aware.

“I phoned the police and they went down there and had a chat with the head teacher and she denied everything.”

Laura met with the school’s head teacher, Yasmine Johnston, a number of times but says on each occasion the bullying was denied.

“He was getting really badly bullied but the headteacher said it was just rough play,” added Laura.

“It was getting to the point that he was lashing out at me and I had to take him to school kicking and screaming.”

On November 20 the couple decided to remove George from the school and he now attends Stratford-sub-Castle primary school.

“Pembroke Park just need to stop turning a blind eye to what parents say to the head teacher about what our children are going through,” Laura added.

Head teacher Ms Johnston said: “The staff and governing body take the safeguarding and care of all children very seriously.”

She added: “Any allegations of bullying incidences that have been made have been fully investigated and worked through with parents and a range of external partners, who have agreed that the school has dealt with them appropriately.”