Shocking footage shared online shows a schoolgirl being viciously attacked by another pupil in a school in Wales.
The incident, taken by another pupil, shows the girl being repeatedly hit hard on the head as a teacher and other pupils apparently watch on – unable to stop it, reports WalesOnline.
The 14-year-old’s parents claimed the beating on Monday, February 3, left her with “bumps and lumps” on her head and neck.
They saw the video of the attack on Cardiff’s Eastern High after it was filmed by other pupils on their phones and shared online.
The footage, which they copied and shared with WalesOnline, higlights ‘out of control’ violence in schools, and has now been removed from social media.
The clip shows the assailant repeatedly striking the girl on the head while she cowers in an attempt to protect herself.
Both the victim and attacker are in year nine at Eastern High. The clip shows what many school staff, teaching unions and others describe as a growing problem of aggression and violence in schools.
The parents of the victim claim the attack on their daughter this week follows a seperatae incident two weeks ago when a different girl attacked her so badly she was left bleeding.
Her father said: “She rang us to say “I have been beaten up”. We had no call from the school and went straight up there.
“They took us into the office and our daughter was there crying. She had blows and punches repeatedly to the head. First aid came with an ice pack.”
The victim’s father said he was not aware of the bullying policy at Eastern High’s but said he didn’t blame staff for what is a mounting problem with violence.
He added that schools should give out tougher punishment to stop violence and wants the worst offenders permanently excluded.
“We send her to school thinking she is going to be safe. To get that call yesterday I was beside myself.
“The behaviour is out of control there. The acting headteacher is doing her best but it’s not working. She has been deputy head (before) for years but kids are acting like feral animals.”
And he warned worse could happen is schools don’t act on it: “You don’t expect to send a child to school to be beaten up. Someone is going to get seriously hurt – my daughter had bumps and swelling on her head and neck.”
In response the school has sent the following email to parents and carers:
4th of February 2025
Dear parent/carer,
we are aware of a recent social media post involving an altercation between two pupils. This post has understandably caused concern and we would like to address the situation and outline our position on such incidents.
At Eastern High we do not condone violence under any circumstances. We are deeply concerned about the recording, sharing and commenting on such incidents.
When violent images or videos of pupils, including visible faces, are shared online it violates their privacy and can have serious emotional or psychological effects. Posting or sharing this type of content may also breach data protection and safeguarding laws designed to protect children.
Additionally, we are aware of inappropriate comments on the post, including those calling for disciplinary action against staff members. We find these comments deeply unfair and unhelpful.
Our staff are dedicated to maintaining the safety and wellbeing of all pupils. The presence of large groups of pupils recording and gathering during such incidents often obstructs staff from intervening safely and effectively.
We want to assure you that incidents such as this are being taken extremely seriously and we are taking appropriate action with pupils involved. We are fully committed to upholding the safety and integrity of our pupils and school community.
We ask for your continued support in promoting a respectful, safe environment both in person and online.
In light of this incident please be reminded of the key points regarding mobile phone use and safeguarding:
Confiscation of phones. Under the Education Act 2001, school staff can confiscate phones if they are if they are used to disrupt school order or record inappropriate content. Confiscated phones will be securely stored and returned according to school policy.
Handling recorded content . Sharing violent content involving pupils, especially when faces are visible, can breach data protection laws under UK GDPR. We strongly discourage pupils and parents from sharing such material
Staff might require that students delete videos, but cannot forcibly delete content without consent. If recordings are needed for investigation they may be retained as evidence under legal guidelines.
Safeguarding and support . Both students directly involved and those who recorded or shared the incident will receive appropriate saguarding support to ensure their wellbeing.
Disciplinary action. Students who record, share or encourage violent behaviour may face consequences, including phone confiscation, detentions, exclusions or further measures according to our behaviour and safeguarding policies.
We understand seeing posts of this nature can be distressing, but we encourage parents and carers to avoid further sharing or harmful content or sharing in online discussions. Instead we ask that you raise any concerns directly with the school.
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