A mother-of-three has been forced to teach her son from home after he lost his school place after he was withdrawn over bullying.

Amanda Field took her eight-year-old-son James out of St James Church Primary School in Allerton after he complained he was being bullied.

Mrs Field said she did not think the school had taken the problem seriously. However, she later decided to ask for her son to return to his school but was told it was now over-subscribed and a place was no longer available.

Now she teaches her son from her home in Merrivale Road, Allerton, Bradford, while she brings up two other children.

But she said she does not want to send him to a new school because she fears he could be targeted by bullies again. However St James Church Primary School head teacher Joyce Coyle has defended the school's actions and refuted claims that James was being bullied

Mrs Field, 30, is one of 94 parents across Bradford who chose to home educate their children. She said she decided to take action after James ran away from his home in November because he was so upset at being bullied by classmates. She said: "I spoke to the head teacher six or seven times but I was not happy with the response I got. I don't think she took the problem seriously until I withdrew James from school."

However Mrs Coyle refuted Mrs Field's allegations. She said: "The staff and governors of St James Church Primary school are confident that James was not being bullied and that allegations of bullying were investigated fully and the correct procedures followed. "Mrs Field has since requested that James return to the school but unfortunately the year four class is now over-subscribed but Mrs Field's daughter remains in our nursery."

Parent can apply to Education Bradford to educate children at home. Children who are classed as being educated otherwise than at school are de-registered and visited by inspectors.

l A country-wide on-line survey was starting today to uncover the extent of bullying in schools. Yorkshire-based charity Bullying Online is conducting the poll to gauge the views of pupils, teachers, parents and adults who still suffer from the effects of school bullying. The surveys are available at www.thenationalsurvey.co. uk.