An Ombudsman is calling for compulsory anti-bullying programmes in schools as part of his report into a spate of serious assaults at a Hutt Valley secondary school.
The incidents in 2007 included boys who were pupils of Hutt Valley High School being attacked by other boys using objects including scissors, a cellphone and a screwdriver.
Ombudsman David McGee says the school failed to take appropriate action at the time of the bullying.
David McGee told Nine to Noon that one obvious defect was that the school did not have a child abuse policy.
Chief Human Rights Commissioner David Rutherford laid the complaint with the office of the Ombudsman on behalf of the parents of the victims.
Mr Rutherford says the victims have since received an unreserved apology from the school.
Hutt Valley High School admits it made a mistake in the handling of the assaults and did deny victims the support they had the right to expect.
Ross Sinclair, who has become Hutt Valley School principal since the incident, says the school now has a comprehensive child abuse policy in place. He says it is still speaking to the victims about how to redress the harm done.
But Andrea Downs, whose son had a grater used on his leg, is horrified it has taken four years for the school to admit its mistakes.
Ms Downs says parents were fobbed off by the school and felt that the board of trustees seemed more worried about losing foreign students, and the money they brought in, than supporting victims.
Education Minister Anne Tolley says school boards of trustees are required by law to provide a safe environment - and that includes addressing any bullying.
Ms Tolley says all schools should have good processes regarding bullying which cover the points raised by the Ombudsman's report; She has reminded boards of trustees of their legal obligations under their administrative guidelines.
