Angry parents say they have been ‘kept in the dark’ after Islington school teacher was accused of ‘dragging a 10-year-old boy to a confined space and raining punches down on him’

• READ: School suspends teacher amid probe into pupil ‘punched multiple times’

Angry parents of pupils at a north London primary school say they have been ‘kept in the dark’ after a teacher allegedly punched a ten-year-old boy.

Police are investigating allegations that a member of staff at Christ the King Primary School in Islington, north London, punched the child multiple times, leaving him needing A&E treatment. 

Parents of pupils at the school on this morning’s school run said they first learned of the event through social media and called for the school to give them more information about the incident.

Speaking at the school gates today one parent said: ‘I don’t know much about it. I just saw on the video yesterday what happened and all the parents, we want more information about it, about what’s going on.

‘We want to know more about it. Yesterday they sent us an email saying that the teacher was suspended and things are getting sorted out, but they haven’t talked to us, we just received an email.’

They added: ‘We all want to know where this problem is going to go, and how we are going to solve it.’

Charles Etumnu (pictured) said his ten-year-old son was taken to a confined space before a teacher started ‘raining punches on him’

In a video widely shared on social media, a staff member appears to say it is being dealt with by the police and says ‘it is not appropriate to discuss’ the alleged attack further 

Another parent commented on the video posted on social media showing a heated exchange between the father of the child, Charles Etumnu, and the deputy head at the school gate.

He said: ‘I think they said it’s in police hands right now so the police are investigating what’s going on. They don’t want to talk about this situation.

‘Even the head office – in the video the head teacher was saying that she doesn’t want to respond or say anything about it, I don’t know why.’

READ MORE: Father accuses Islington school teacher of ‘dragging his 10-year-old son to a confined space and raining punches down on him’ amid bust-up involving another pupil

A third parent, who described the school as a ‘great school’, said he was ‘shocked’ by the incident.

He said: ‘I think the school is a great school, a lovely school. I’ve got two kids here and I’ve never had anything like this.

‘It’s truly a shocking surprise. A kid’s got hit and a teacher got suspended. But it’s a lovely school with lovely teachers.

‘If she did hit the student she needs to get sacked.

‘Otherwise if there is anything here they should investigate it more to find what the issues are, maybe put more cameras in the playground.’ 

The school have been approached for a comment on these claims.  

Charles Etumnu said his son was on a staircase landing watching another pupil getting into trouble when the fight broke out. 

‘He then felt a forceful push from behind. He stumbled and regained balance and said ”Don’t touch me”’, Mr Etumnu told Sky News. 

‘The teacher then dragged him to a confined space on the landing and started raining punches on him.

‘He was trying to fend them off when other teachers came and pulled them off him. My son then started crying.’

Mr Etumnu’s wife, the child’s mother, said she was told to come to the school following the ordeal. She said that when she arrived her son complained his chest was in pain. 

Mr Etumnu said: ‘He was restless and so shocked by what happened.’ 

A suspension letter, seen by Sky News, had been issued to the family on the same day, which alleges the child was ‘suspended for an act of aggression towards a member of staff’. 

It also claimed the child ‘injured a member of staff today in the playground’ and ‘hit them several times knocking off their glasses’. 

The father said he did not recognise the language used in relation to his son, adding: ‘He’s never been in a physical fight with anyone. So why would that happen to my son?’

The school rescinded the suspension within hours of the parents receiving the letter, the family said, after more information was uncovered. 

Three of the couple’s children had been enrolled at the school, but following the alleged ordeal, the couple have decided to remove them all. 

A pupil was allegedly punched by a teacher at Christ The King School in Islington, north London

The Met Police said they received a report of an alleged assault on November 10, with claims against the teacher only becoming public knowledge on Tuesday when a a video was released on social media showing Mr Etumnu confronting the deputy headteacher at the school gates. 

James Potts, chair of governors at Christ the King RC Primary School, said: ‘An allegation was made about an incident at the school in November.

‘As soon as the allegation was made, we took the matter extremely seriously and took all appropriate actions.

‘A member of staff was suspended at the time, pending a full investigation.

‘We are working closely with the Metropolitan Police, Islington Council and the Diocese of Westminster.

‘As part of our continued partnership with parents, carers and the wider community, we take the safety and well-being of our pupils extremely seriously, and are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all.

‘It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst an investigation is ongoing.’

In a video widely shared on social media, a staff member appears to say it is being dealt with by the police and says ‘it is not appropriate to discuss’ the alleged attack further.

The video showed a confrontation with a member of staff, believed to be deputy head teacher, Tracey Lane, being asked why the teacher who supposedly committed the act was still working there

The woman who posted the video, wrote that the ten-year-old pupil was her nephew, saying: ‘I can’t believe I’m even writing these words, my ten-year-old nephew was punched multiple times…at Christ The King School in Islington. [He] had to go to A&E immediately after reporting severe pains across his chest and back areas.’

A spokesman for the Met Police previously said: ‘Police were contacted on Friday, 10 November following a report that a ten-year-old pupil had been assaulted by a member of staff at a school in Tollington Park, N4.

‘There were no reports of any serious injuries.

‘Safeguarding children remains our priority and we treat such allegations very seriously.

‘Those involved in this incident, along with several witnesses, are being spoken with and the investigation is ongoing.

‘We are working with partners, including the local authority and the school, to progress this matter as swiftly as possible.’

A spokesman for Islington council said: ‘We are aware of these reports and are taking them seriously. We’re working with the school to investigate.’

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