Hello,
I hope whoever is reading this is keeping well.
This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please can the following information be provided for the academic years: 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 (so far).

1) How many formal complaints regarding a school staff member (for example, but not limited to: teacher, headteacher, head of year) bullying a student or a colleague did your school receive over the specified academic year(s)? For Q1, please can you disclose the nature of the bullying complaint i.e. 'threatening language'. 'cyberbullying', 'physical assault', and tell me who complained about whom, including the complainant's year group if it is a student. So, for example, a Year (INSERT YEAR HERE) student could have formally accused a teacher of using threatening language in a bullying manner. 1a) How many of these complaints- identified in Q1- were formally investigated by the school?1aa) What were the outcomes (for example, but not limited to: warning, removal of post) of these investigations? Please state the amount of money the complainant received in cases where the parents of said child/ colleague demanded compensation for the incident.
Though "bullying" has not got a legal definition, I am classing it as: intending to hurt someone either physically or emotionally (this is often aimed at certain groups, for example because of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation). Bullying takes many forms and can include: physical assault, teasing, making threats, name calling, cyberbullying - bullying via mobile phone or online (for example email, social networks and instant messenger).
If you feel that a substantive response to this request is not possible within a reasonable time frame, or the request is too broad, I would be grateful if you could please contact me by phone ([mobile phone number]) and provide assistance as to how I could refine the request.
Kind Regards,
Yohannes Lowe

Hello Mr Farr,
I hope you are keeping well and have been able to enjoy the recent spell of hot weather.
I am aware of how much pressure schools are under at the moment so I really do appreciate your help with this. Just so you know, I have sent this request randomly to hundreds of other schools across the country so I can try and establish the extent of bullying allegations. If a lot of institutions come back to me and say there have been such allegations, I will then send the FOI to all schools. Would you be so kind to please tell me the dates (at least years/months) when the four complaints were formally submitted to the school. May you please also tell me- if possible- a bit more about the complaint relating to the staff email about students (i.e. what was complained about in its wording). Is it also possible to tell me what teacher sanctions were alleged to have been too strict? For clarity, could you also please confirm that you were meant to say all the complaints were "withheld" (instead of not being upheld)? I am a little unsure as to why the parents/carers would withhold the complaints after submitting them. This can be treated as a new request if you so wish.
Best,
Yohannes

Hello Mr Farr,
Thanks again for your response. The speed at which you replied is greatly appreciated.
I wondered, finally, if you could please be so kind to tell me the months each of the complaints were lodged, and confirm whether or not it is accurate to say, from your response, that each complaint was lodged by a pupil's parent/carer against a teacher? I also wondered if you could please specify the years of the pupils concerned in each complaint.
Best,
Yohannes

Thanks very much