More than one in four pupils have been bullied. Last month an Ofsted survey of 150,000 pupils aged ten to15 revealed that 27 per cent worried about being bullied at school, and 44 per cent of the sample group said they thought their school had dealt with it “badly” or “not very well”.
All schools should have an Anti-Bullying Policy and if you are worried that your child is being bullied or perhaps is guilty of bullying, it is worth obtaining a copy of the school’s policy so that you have a good basis for any discussion you may have to initiate.
The theme for this year’s Anti-Bullying Week, which runs from 17 to 21 November, is “Being different, belonging together” which aims to raise awareness of bullying based on difference and prejudice. The campaign is run by the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), a coalition of 60 organisations who work together to tackle the problem.
Sue Steel, of the Anti-Bullying Alliance said: “Our vision for the 21st century school is one where bullying is dealt with quickly and effectively. We believe the government’s recent proposal for schools to record bullying incidents is a significant step to achieving this. Promoting pupil well-being means excellent anti-bullying practice - all schools should recognise this now.”
Ten points for children to remember if they are bullied: