Mum’s outrage after son breaks arm at school and is ‘ignored by teachers’ as he cries for help

A Rhodesia mother who claims her 10-year-old son came out of school with a broken arm after his pleas for help were ‘ignored’ by teachers has spoken of her fury.
Leon Oakden-Gostling, 10 who broke his arm in the school playground pictured with Mum Carol OakdenLeon Oakden-Gostling, 10 who broke his arm in the school playground pictured with Mum Carol Oakden
Leon Oakden-Gostling, 10 who broke his arm in the school playground pictured with Mum Carol Oakden

Carol Oakden was shocked when she arrived to collect her son Leon from Haggonsfield Primary School and found him at the school gates ‘crying in pain’ and clutching his arm on Monday July 20.

A four-hour trip to A&E revealed that the youngster had fractured his arm just above his wrist.

The mother of three, who lives on Queen Elizabeth Crescent, claims she was never contacted by the school to let her know her son had been badly hurt.

Carol said: “I went to collect Leon like normal at the school gates and I could see he was upset straight away.

“He told me that he had hurt his arm and had been crying to the dinner ladies and his teacher in the classroom, but that they had basically told him to get on with it. They didn’t think there was anything wrong with him.”

Carol said that she had later contacted a dinner lady who works at the school and was on duty at the time of the incident as she knew her personally.

She said: “The dinner lady told me that Leon had been playing with some other pupils in the playground when it happened.

“He had fallen and another boy landed on top of him, which is when he must have broken his arm.

“She said I was surprised that I had not been contacted by the school.

“I’m not sure what I can do now as the school has broken up for a six week holiday.

“Leon’s summer has been ruined, but it’s not the school’s fault that he was injured- it what it is.

“All I want to know is why I wasn’t contacted even though Leon was apparently crying in pain in the middle of the classroom.”

The Guardian attempted to contact the school for comment but nobody was available.