Wesley College students frequently play a violent game called "Manhunt" that has put one student in hospital and left others injured, multiple pupils have told 1News.
Content warning: This story contains references to violence
It comes after 1News revealed last week that videos had been posted to social media showing senior students at the troubled South Auckland school beating other pupils.
Pupils said Manhunt was played almost weekly among boarding students and involved senior students hunting younger students at night and beating them.
"One of the seniors would yell out 'Manhunt!' and we'd all just have to run," one student said.
"It was normal to see kids with broken teeth, bruises, black eyes or limping after Manhunt," another student told 1News.
One set of parents, who we're calling Tim and Sarah, told 1News a game of Manhunt left their son unable to walk.
"We received a call late one evening saying something's happened to Sam* and got asked 'What do you guys want to do? Do you want us [staff] to call an ambulance or do you guys want to pick him up?'" Tim said.
"We didn't understand the severity of what was happening so I told them I would make the trip over. When I got to the school, he was actually physically being held up by some of his peers.
"He could barely stand."
Tim said he instantly knew his son needed to go to hospital.
"I said to [staff member], 'If you knew the severity of it, why didn't you call me earlier? I mean, if that was your son, what would you do?'"
Tim and Sarah put their son in the car and drove to Middlemore Hospital.
It was a night Sarah said they would never forget.
"Some of his friends were crying watching him in that state and then watching us leave. I was angry.
"It was scary and sad. I kept the window down while we were driving, and I was trying to talk to him to keep him awake but he just wasn't responding," Sarah said.
Sam was unable to walk and had to be put in a wheelchair in order to get him into the hospital.
READ MORE: Wesley College abuse survivor breaks silence
Medical documents seen by 1News show the radiology department found he had slurred speech, a bleeding nose, was complaining of eye discomfort because of bright lights and that he could not walk steadily.
He was later referred to ABI Rehabilitation Services which specialises in traumatic brain injury, documents showed.
A Wesley staff member said Sam had been out for a run and the school suspected he had suffered a big fall and hit his head, or "potentially fainted", Tim and Sarah said.
At the time, Sam didn't dispute the story, but a few days ago, he finally told his parents what really happened that day and how he'd suffered over the past few years.
"He just broke down and shared everything and said, 'Mum, I'm over it. I'm over the hidings, I'm over the bullying'," Sarah said.
"And then he said, 'Mum, remember that thing that happened? I actually was assaulted'."
Sam said he was beaten during Manhunt.
The Manhunt allegations come after multiple students contacted 1News with videos of beatings and allegations of abuse, following reporting on historical violence at the special character Methodist school.
The videos and allegations all relate to incidents between 2021 and March 2023.
1News has decided not to name students and parents for safety reasons.
Last week, the Ministry of Education intervened in the management of the school, appointing Dr Shane Edwards as Limited Statutory Manager.
But some parents thought the intervention had come too late.
Tim and Sarah have now pulled their son out of Wesley College.
Another parent, Rachel*, said she did the same last year, withdrawing both her sons from the school.
Both she and her husband, along with their siblings, went to Wesley. The whole family was excited another generation was attending.
"There was so much hope that they were going to have five amazing years at this college that my husband and I - and our friends - hold dear to us," Rachel said.
The boys lasted three terms.
"And it was probably two terms too long," Rachel said.
Within the first couple of weeks, Rachel’s sons experienced constant bullying and threats. She said she reported her concerns to the school multiple times.
"I was working one day and I received a text from one of my sons and it said, 'Mum, can I come home? I don't feel safe'.
"I started crying and I hopped in the car. I rang the school and told them about the text," Rachel said.
She had hoped things would improve, knowing her sons were not afraid to speak up and tell them if anything happened.
Speaking up, however, led to them being labelled snitches, she said. Some staff tried to help but Rachel believed they lacked the support needed to stamp out the wider problem.
She was frustrated by the responses from other staff.
"It was a lot of sweeping it under the rug and excuses like 'boys will be boys'. But my boys weren't brought up that way," Rachel said.
"They knew the difference between right and wrong."
Seniors hunt juniors at night and beat them; students tell 1News. (Source: 1News)
After months of tolerating bullying and threats, Rachel's oldest - and once gentle - son punched a wall, shattering his hand.
"When I got to the school, I just hugged him and he just broke down and cried," Rachel said.
"And he just said, 'It's OK, Mum. Don't worry because I hurt myself and nobody else'.
"My heart broke into absolute pieces. When you hear your child say that they were better off because they hurt themselves.
"No 13-year-old deserves to have to go through that.
"For us that was the part that made us feel like we failed them."
As a former Wesley student, Rachel always felt loyal to the school, but her sons' experiences left her disappointed.
"I don't think I have anything nice to say about it," she said.
Tim and Sarah said they felt the school initially brushed off their concerns.
The couple have now filed a report of concern with Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education.
They have gone through formal channels because they no longer trust the school.
"How can you let this happen to these kids? You can't turn a blind eye to what's happening at the school," Tim said.
1News contacted the school on the evening of Wednesday, April 5 for comment but the board chair asked that the new Limited Statutory Manager appointed by the Ministry of Education was contacted.
Limited Statutory Manager Dr Shane Edwards, who was appointed on Monday April 3, told 1News the school wouldn't reasonably be able to comment until the end of the school holiday period, which is a couple of weeks away.
1News understands that at times some boarding students remain at the school during the term break or return early for sports training or special events.
Some staff remain on school grounds during the school holiday period.
The school previously told 1News it understood, after decades, just how much work needed to be done and it had "never shied away from our responsiblities".
It said it was making "huge progress" and was "extremely happy with progress to date".
It encouraged anyone who had experienced bullying, violence or abuse by a staff member or student to report the matter to Police and the school's Board of Trustees so it could investigate.
Both Tim and Sarah say the school isn't doing enough and they are worried about the safety of some of the students who remain at the school. They encouraged other families and victims to speak up.
"Just be brave. Speak up. We need to protect our children," Tim said.
"It's not the normal channel we'd go down, especially being Polynesian or Māori. We'd normally put our heads down and just keep silent.
"But those days are gone. Be brave."
Do you have information on this story? Email Indira.Stewart@tvnz.co.nz
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