A 12-YEAR-OLD boy of mixed race has been targeted by bullies at school, apparently because of his skin colour.

His father Robert Howlett feels that Kingsdown School hasn’t punished the perpetrators enough to prevent them from making his son’s life miserable.

However, the school says it has done all it can to resolve the issue.

Robert said: “For the last eight months, my son has gone through hell.

“In February, one of the bullies called him a racial slur, told him to die, then pushed him into the road outside the school gates.

“Luckily a car stopped before it hit him.

“Then, the same boy throttled him around the neck and a teacher intervened just before he passed out.

“He has also been stabbed with glass, pushed into traffic again, followed home, heard more racist abuse, shoved up against a wall and beaten.

“My son’s devastated by it all, he’s so scared that he won’t leave the house without an adult.”

His mum Sam Griggs said: “When I heard what happened with the car, it freaked me out, he could have been badly hurt.

“The school thinks everything’s sorted but the bullies are still hurting my son when the adults aren’t around.

“He’s too scared to go to the park around the corner during the summer holidays because the bully lives near it too.

“We’ve planned some indoor projects but it’s heart-breaking to see him like this.

“The police have been involved but the school keeps telling them it’s all under control.”

Wiltshire Police confirmed the force has been involved and said the matter is being dealt with between the school and the parents.

Robert added: “The ringleader was suspended for one day, before the half-term, so it was like an extra day off for him really.

“They put my son in isolation, so it’s like he was the one being punished, and it affected his schoolwork.

“I’ve met with the head but all she goes on about is the reputation of the school when my son’s safety is in jeopardy.

“Their anti-bullying policy is an absolute joke, I’m appalled.”

Kingsdown School’s headteacher Emma Leigh-Bennett said: “Kingsdown School takes incidents of physical and verbal abuse extremely seriously, whether they take place inside or outside of school.

“As headteacher I am fully aware of these incidents involving this pupil.

“As with all incidents, statements were taken and sanctions have been put in place for those involved in line with the school’s policy and procedures.

“Staff liaised directly with the police on this matter, who have since closed the case having been satisfied the school took the appropriate action.

“At Kingsdown, we regularly educate our students about the impact and unacceptable nature of bullying, racism and homophobic comments and actions.

“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated at our school.”