Students at Katandra Berendale Special School left unsupervised by teachers

Parents at Katandra Berendale Special School in Ormond claim their disabled children are being neglected and left unsupervised, leading to violent attacks in the schoolyard.

Students at an Ormond special school are attacking each other in the schoolyard after being left unsupervised. Picture: Supplied

An Ormond special school has been accused of “severely neglecting” pupils, with children left unsupervised and attacking each other in the schoolyard.

Confronting images show several injuries sustained by prep students with disabilities who attend Katandra Berendale Special School, with multiple gashes to their heads and bruising on their faces.

The school caters for prep to year 12 students who have a mild to moderate intellectual disability.

Parents say there is a lack of teachers in the schoolyard, leading to the attacks.

The Herald Sun has been told that some injuries are so severe, one student was rushed to hospital after being struck in the head by another student with a metal spade.

Families also claim that serious incidents are not being properly recorded by the school.

A Katandra Berendale Special School student who was hit in the face by another student. Picture: Supplied

A mother, whose child attends the school, said the multiple injuries experienced by students, including her son, was “disgraceful”.

“For months there has been a lack of supervision from teachers at the school and it’s clear that these vulnerable children are receiving substandard care,” she said.

“My son, as well as another girl in his year, received substantial head injuries on the same day.

“We were notified by the school by phone but with no clear explanation on how the injuries occurred.

“I had to request an incident report for both injuries and investigate the accident myself, with multiple contradicting stories from staff.

“Whether it’s been a matter of staff negligence or occupational health and safety, there has been a failure to safeguard the safety of our children and the school has failed to uphold their duty of care to vulnerable individuals.”

Another mother, Tzila Katzel, whose son also attends the school, said her complaints about students’ aggressive behaviour had fallen on deaf ears.

“The school is not keeping track of incidents when they occur,” she said.

“Students with aggressive and complex behaviours are being left unsupervised, which is resulting in these injuries.

“There is also a teacher shortage and this is gravely affecting students.

“Students with limited but more verbal abilities have reported feelings of anxiety and worry about going into the school.”

Ms Katzel said there was a lack of skilled staff to attend to children with special needs.

“Staff don’t know how to respond appropriately … they are overall severely neglecting these kids,” she said.

Parents have also reported only seeing the principal at the junior campus, once per month, saying there was “very little involvement or oversight from leadership”.

A Department of Education spokesman said: “The school is aware of incidents which have occurred in the playground at the Katandra site, all of which have been fully investigated and reported to parents – with extensive support provided to students and families, and increased supervision in the playground”.

“The school has employed additional teaching and education support staff, as well as a Mental Health Practitioner, Speech Pathologist and Occupational Therapist,” he said.

“A separate play time for preps has been implemented to provide greater supervision, as well as extra lessons for students on appropriate behaviours, including ‘how to play safely’ classes for the prep cohort.

“The school investigates all incidents, including reporting them to parents.”