More than 400 pupils each year ask to switch schools in Essex after becoming victims of bullying.

The figures, revealed in a Freedom of Information response by Essex County Council (ECC), show there have been almost 1,100 applications in the last three years.

Responsibility for dealing with bullying lies with individual schools, an ECC spokesman said.

The amount of applications to switch schools, citing bullying as the reason, has remained consistent over time.

In 2012/13, ECC received 441 applications, only two fewer than the previous academic year.

An ECC spokesman said: “We are always looking at ways in which we can support our schools to tackle bullying."