An Ashburton College student is in hospital after being badly beaten at school on Friday.<\/p>\n
Police are investigating after two year nine students got into a fight.<\/p>\n
The victim’s mother told\u00a0The New Zealand Herald\u00a0<\/i>her son was badly beaten and suffered a fractured eye socket, a minor neck injury and a concussion.<\/p>\n
The College’s principal Simon Coleman confirmed the “completely unacceptable” assault took place during school time.<\/p>\n
It took time for a teacher to arrive because the fight happened in a small space off the main classroom, he said.<\/p>\n
“The boy responsible was sent home and we are following our school discipline process in responding to this incident,” he said.<\/p>\n
“This behaviour is completely unacceptable and goes against everything the school stands for.”<\/p>\n
Coleman “fully supported” the victim’s family reporting the assault to police.<\/p>\n
Staff were supporting the victim and his family by arranging hospital visits, providing taxi vouchers and contributing to medical costs, he said.<\/p>\n
The school also reported the assault to the Ministry of Education on Monday, when accounts from witnesses had been taken.<\/p>\n
Ashburton College was following its internal processes but the Ministry would provide support if it was needed, the Ministry’s Haut\u016b Te Tai Runga south leader Nancy Bell said.<\/p>\n
Late last year,\u00a0two violent fights<\/a>\u00a0were filmed at Ashburton College, following a 2022 review into bullying claims at the school.<\/p>\n