Secondary teachers have hit out at the Education Ministry, accusing the Government of failing to provide adequate resources to address bullying and violence in schools.

PPTA President Robin Duff said a chilling report issued by the Ombudsmen's Office yesterday on bullying and sexual violence at Hutt Valley High School illustrated a systemic failure by ministry and government officials to support schools.

"Hutt Valley High School were left to reach a crisis point and were neglected by the ministry," Mr Duff said.

Yesterday's long-awaited Ombudsmen's Office report reveals that Hutt Valley High School pupils were subjected to torture, extreme violence and sexual abuse, but school authorities failed to protect victims, alert parents or report numerous attacks to police.

The reported includes chilling details of systemic violence at the school, intimidation and abuse. It also identifies a history of failing to punish culprits or acknowledge the seriousness of their crimes.

A gang of six teens terrorised classmates in late 2007, chasing younger boys around the school, dragging them to the ground to remove their pants then violating them with a screwdriver, scissors, branches, pens, pencils and drills.

The premeditated attacks were committed on year 9 boys during lunchtimes. There was little teacher supervision because some staff were too scared to carry out duties "for fear of their own safety", the report says.

Mr Duff said it was impossible to look at bullying as an issue isolated to Hutt Valley. "Teachers across New Zealand have asked for help with student behaviour for years," he said.

The PPTA had been calling for support for schools since early 2000 and a number of conference papers had provided an analysis of the issues and had repeatedly called governments to step up and show leadership, Mr Duff said.

"Dealing with difficult students requires a range of government agencies to work together. It requires a sophisticated level of collaboration and leadership and adequate funding."

"Intervention should occur as early as possible and PPTA want to see the implementation of evidence-based programmes coordinated by the state agencies involved."

Education Minister Anne Tolley said the Ombudsman had highlighted some extremely serious issues. However, in the four years since the attacks took place, there had been significant changes.

The Education Review Office and the Ministry of Education had changed their practices and $60 million the Government had invested in the Positive Behaviour for Learning plan was already seeing benefits in schools.



"We will continue to monitor this programme to make sure it is effective, because our students and staff deserve to attend schools, and in fact by law have the right to attend schools, which provide a safe environment."

The Ombudsman's report says that despite identifying the offending, Hutt Valley High School did not alert victims' parents, police or Child, Youth and Family. It instead chose to stand down the culprits for a few days.

Incensed parents eventually learned of the attacks and complained to the Human Rights Commission and Ombudsmen's Office.

One of the nine victims had holes ripped in his trousers during an assault. Another was kicked in the face when he refused to kiss his attackers' shoes after being sexually violated.

The decile 8, 1700-pupil co-ed state school played down the attacks, saying, "It wasn't an assault where somebody had blood spilt" and describing the incidents as "minor".

When quizzed later by Ombudsman David McGee about the attacks, school management said an investigating police officer was on a "crusade" and "out to make a name for himself".

Tabling his report in Parliament yesterday, Mr McGee described the attacks as "a pattern of repeated, premeditated, systematic assaults". He slated the school's response, inadequate discipline policies and failure to implement Education Ministry child abuse policies.

"Even disregarding the most serious allegations of direct penetrative assault, the systematic pack assaults with sharp objects and surrounding threats and intimidation ... would seem to have justified, at a minimum, suspension of the perpetrators."

Antisocial children were retained in the school and serious violence and sexual assaults went unreported to government agencies. The school also took it upon itself to interpret the results of a victim's medical examination in favour of his perpetrators.

A complaint against the Education Review Office that it failed to properly assess school safety was upheld. A complaint against CYF was also upheld for failing to manage a conflict of interest by one of its staff, Susan Pilbrow, who was also the school's board chairwoman.

Although the school understated the seriousness of the 2007 attacks, since then it had been proactive in addressing bullying and violence, the report says.

Several students at the school said today that staff now handle violent situations sufficiently and they did not have any concerns.

Year 11 student TK Kingi had heard about past cases of violence, sexual abuse and drug dealing from other students but said he was not aware of any extreme violence since he started at the high school.

Jess Foster, 13, said there were a few fights at school but they were quickly broken up by staff. "The principal hangs out at the bus stop after school and that's usually where the fights are."

The report also revealed other serious, previously unreported incidents of extreme violence and torture at the school "which appear not to have been investigated, documented or punished appropriately".

One of the 2007 assailants threatened to sexually assault a boy, who was selling pocket knives at the school, to extort a knife from him at a discounted price.

According to a letter from another victim's parent to the Education Ministry, no punishment was imposed for an earlier 2007 incident when a group of pupils held another boy down with a chain around his neck and tried burning him with a lighter.

A third pupil was pushed down stairs and kicked in the head and chest until unconscious in 2004.

Recently appointed Hutt Valley High School principal Ross Sinclair issued a full apology yesterday for the school's actions. The school accepted it had managed the assaults poorly and made serious mistakes.

"The boys involved and their families were let down by the school."

The victims' parents welcomed the report's findings. "This has been a long journey for victims and their families, who have been waiting since 2007 for the truth to be acknowledged," they said.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Amend school national administration guidelines to make anti-bullying programmes mandatory in all schools, rather than being simply a recommendation from ERO.

Education Ministry to provide specific guidance to schools on what level of punishment is appropriate for various offences and actions. Improve disciplinary procedures by requiring principals and school boards to consider victims' views when making decisions on discipline in cases of bullying or violence.