Young people say bullying is widespread in Haringey schools. PICTURE POSED BY MODELS.

Bullying in Haringey schools is widespread –but victims don’t feel they can tell their teachers, according to a survey of young people in Tottenham.

Those questioned said they believed teachers had “no interest” in dealing with bullying so they did not think it worth their while reporting incidents.

The Journal has also spoken to a youth worker who claims youngsters think teachers cannot be trusted to keep the identity of a victim secret from the alleged bully, possibly inflaming the situation at school and beyond the gates.

The findings come less than a year after Tottenham 11-year-old Sidney Nzamala was found hanged in his bedroom after, his parents believe, he suffered bullying.

Around 100 teenagers and young adults were surveyed for the report, put together by the Broadwater Farm Residents’ Association, on a wide variety of subjects.

Clasford Stirling, who collected the responses during an open day at the Broadwater Farm Community Centre, told the recent Bruce Grove and West Green area forum he was shocked by its findings.

He said: “I have never seen kids angry with the bullying in schools. A lot of kids seem to feel it is massive. They feel they cannot talk to anybody.

“They think the teachers do not care and the teachers go straight back and talk to the people doing the bullying.”

But Haringey Council stressed bullying “in any form is unacceptable”, saying schools have their own anti-bullying policies and are asked “to make it as easy as possible for parents, carers and pupils to raise concerns”.

She added: “Advice and support on bullying can also be sought from the council’s Education Welfare Service, which can help with problem-solving and provide mediation between home and school if necessary.”