Police in South Bristol are calling on parents to talk to their children after ongoing problems with anti-social behaviour from groups of young teenagers ended up with the windows of a special needs school being smashed.
The headteacher of Venturers Academy said a group of youngsters were spotted with hockey sticks in the area, and staff came in the morning after to find windows smashed and broken glass everywhere inside.
But Trystan Williams, the school’s executive head, said he wanted to meet and work with the youngsters involved, rather than see them punished through the courts.
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The incident happened last week and police have told Bristol Live it was the culmination of a series of incidents where youngsters in the Withywood area had got into the grounds of Venturers Academy – part of the Merchants Academy campus – and been mucking around. Police said they had been called ‘several times’ last week, and on one occasion there were reports that children had got onto the roof of the building – but they had gone when officers arrived.
“Neighbourhood police ask parents and carers to speak to children about the risks and possible consequences of this anti-social behaviour,” a spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police said.
“Officers are now investigating an incident of criminal damage which happened overnight Monday July 29 to Tuesday July 30.
“On Tuesday morning staff discovered that a PE storage area had been broken into, and it’s thought hockey sticks were used to smash more than a dozen windows of the primary school building. Officers have positive lines of enquiry, including CCTV footage which is being reviewed,” she added.
“Anyone with information which could help is asked to call 101 and give the reference 5224198272,” she said.
The school’s executive head, Trystan Williams, said: “We are disappointed that the school has been attacked in this way, the school does cater for some of the most vulnerable children in Bristol and beyond, and it’s a shame that this has happened.
“Staff have been in to clear up the mess, and it’s the children at the school themselves who will suffer because of this – we did have plans to redecorate some areas, but that’s been delayed,” he added.
“It’s not the first time either, we’ve had bikes that we use to teach the children how to ride, that have been stolen from the outbuildings, and it does affect out work,” he added.
Earlier this summer, Venturers Academy was named as one of the top schools in the world for its work with special needs children, but the summer holidays have got off to a bad start for the school in Withywood.
Mr Williams said he was keen to go down a restorative justice route. “I want to say to those children who have done this that there are options. They can choose to do this, or can opt to do something more creative. We know very well that the school is based in one of the areas of Bristol that has challenges in terms of opportunities for young people, but there are amazing organisations and groups that can refocus these children into doing something they’ll enjoy and is more creative and productive, rather than what they have been doing.
“It doesn’t do anyone any good if they are punished prohibitively, I’m all for forgiveness and showing these kids that there is a better way to choose,” he added.