As part of the National Anti-bullying Awareness Week, Parents,Carers, Staff and Students at Old Ford Primary School have been thinking about Bullying.

They wanted to raise awareness of bullying and anti-bullying, the Anti-bullying Charter, and the DFES pack: “Don’t Suffer in Silence”.

The statement says that a good policy has to be developed by everyone.
To help do this they had a teacher workshop, a parent’s consultation, anti-bullying assemblies for the children and a teacher’s assistant workshop.

Parents, carers and staff thought that it is the intention of making people feel hurt. It is deliberate. Invading their space. It is physical, verbal, mental, emotional, and racist. It is ongoing, intimidation, control, and power.

Click to see examples:

Parent
Teacher

They compared it with the Tower Hamlets LEA statement.

Click here to read the Tower Hamlets definition of Bullying

Why is it important to stop bullying?

They thought that it was important to stop bullying; that being bullied affects a child’s emotional wellbeing.
To learn properly people need to feel safe and secure.
In order to be safe everyone has to understand what bullying is, and what’s being done in the school.

View a parent and child's view on why bullying must stop:
Parent whose child was bullied

If you bully people

Pupils, parents, carers and staff talked about all the different strategies they use relating to bullying.

Teacher Assistants "Brainstorming":

Teacher Assistants brainstormed what they do: "Talk, listen, role-play, listen to reason, make aware." See discussion

Children talked about what it was like to be bullied.

Parents discussing bullying issues

Parents and carers were asked "Do you think it is right -If they hit you, hit them back."
Click below to see what parents thought.
Parent 1 Parent 2

They realised it is difficult, especially in the playground

Anita said
"We need to prevent bullying, not react to it."

One parent said "We are lucky the school has an established policy to achieve this."

Children talked about what they should do if they are bullied:
"Talk to a teacher, tell the bully they do not like what they are doing. Tell them to stop it."

Agreeing Strategies

Parents, carers and staff thought that it was important to:
-Develop agreed strategies.
-Raise awareness in assemblies.
-Have peer support & training.

Effective Anti-bullying & Anti Harassment Policy Checklist (Word Doc)

Example procedures document: "Towards a Safe & Bully Free School" (Word Doc)

Example "Anti-bullying & Anti Harassment Policy Development" Staff workshop document (Word Doc)

Example Parents consultation document (Word Doc)

Click here for some ideas for use in school
Taken from the Anti-Bullying Charter

The Policy states that
Each school will need to develop a bullying policy that clearly states what constitutes bullying and the range of sanctions that may be applied.

Bullying- Don't Suffer in Silence! Click for details of Pack for schools

Part of the day was to launch the Anti Bullying Alliance assemblies created for use in schools.

Click here to see copies of the Assemblies

The plans have been written by Ann Lovelace, author of several well-known assembly guides. The school was very lucky to have Anne Lovelace there to see them perform.

Click here for a script of the Assembly
“Beyond the Colour”

Preparing for the assembly

View some clips from the assembly:
Beyond the Colour
Born on the same planet
Birds of the same nest
We can only survive collectively

Remembering Steven Lawrence

One of the assemblies, “Beyond the Colour” is about Steven Lawrence. Year 4 children showed this assembly to their school. They were also invited to show their assembly at The National Ant-bullying Week Regional Event at Grey Coats School in Westminster.

Who was Steven Lawrence?

View the whole Assembly

A stranger helped Steven as he lay dying
How the Stranger remembers Steven

Everyone had a very good day looking at the issue of bullying.

Click below to see what one child thought of bullying by the end of the day.

I Learned....

The Diana, Princess of Wales Anti-bullying Award - Make a difference. This award is given to young people who have made an outstanding contribution to tackling bullying in their school or community.

Visit their site to find out more

Anti-bullying alliance

Dont Suffer in Silence

Bullying Charity

Parentline Plus

Citizenship site

Wired For Health

UK Observatory
For the Promotion of Non-violence

Suzy Lamplugh
Personal Safety Charity

Anti-bullying Strategies

Bullying.co.uk
Pupil Advice

Bully Free Zone

Childline

Kidscape

BBC school site

Beat Bullying Kids

NSPCC Kidszone

Special Thanks to:

Franka Kalvelage, the Tower Hamlets Healthy Schools Advisory Teacher.

Anita Compton, from the NCB (National Children’s Bureau,) who is the London Regional Anti-bullying Alliance Co-ordinator.

Ann Lovelace, author of several well-known assembly guides published by Heinemann.

Trip Nathoo at Old Ford School