Thank you to everyone who has commented, advised, empathised and supported. Even the posts which initially upset me have been useful, if painful, in making me reflect on my own feelings and thoughts about how to process and progress this horrible situation. He is such a gentle, lovely boy that I cannot bear the thought of this drifting on to the point where he is scarred and labelled for life. Nor can I cope with the thought that there is a risk of one of his peers being damaged by his actions. I am going to talk to my daughter in very general terms to elicit what the school has done/is doing and whether there is any intention to seek counselling or support from CAMHS. Based on that information, I will decide whether to voice my concerns a little more forcibly.
I am very sorry if the thread has affected anyone negatively or stimulated unpleasant memories. However, I remain grateful for all the input and hopeful that I can use it to allay my fears and help by DGS. 