The Mercury reported on Thursday that the boy had been suspended for taking a screwdriver to school to protect himself against bullies.

The boy’s mother claimed the school and the education department had failed to protect him from a group of bullies over the past two to three years. She said the bullies had pulled down her son’s pants twice in front of the school.

But Ms O’Neill told the Mercury that after investigating the incident, the school had found “no threat by any other students to the boy, and no suggestion of scissors being involved.”

“Neither do we have evidence of the boy having had his pants pulled down, nor of him being seriously threatened during his time at our school,” Ms O’Neill said.

Ms O’Neill said, however, the student had been involved in a number of incidents that had ended in disciplinary action, which always involved close work by the school with the student and their parents.

“In terms of his general education, the family has not been directed to take any specific course: the school and department have been working with them and offered various options for support within the mainstream, for his current and future education.

“The student has had one-on-one support in the playground and in class, especially in literacy and numeracy, with a teacher’s aide.

Ms O’Neill said this was typical of the support the school was able to offer special needs students.

“They study in a learning environment where bullying is rare due to the commitment of staff to all students’ welfare,” Ms O’Neill said.

“The school has a pervasive culture in which students learn to take responsibility for their behaviour.”

The school’s anti-bullying policy had been updated recently in consultation with the community, she said.

Ms O’Neill said she was proud of the school’s achievements in student welfare, as well as academic and other fields.

“I am confident that even a brief canvassing of opinion in the East Maitland and wider community will bear this reputation out as very well deserved,” she said.