1.1) We have a senior lead within our school to coordinate our whole-school approach to anti-bullying, and a school governor who leads on anti-bullying activity and monitors school action in this area.

Rating description: 

  • Fully met: There is a senior lead coordinating a whole school approach to anti-bullying who is known by our school community and is written into the anti-bullying and/or behaviour policies. We have a school governor who actively leads on anti-bullying with anti-bullying regularly monitored and reported on within meetings.
  • Partially met: There is a senior lead, but they are not known to our school community and/or it is not written into anti-bullying policies. We have a school governor who leads on anti-bullying, but they are not involved in anti-bullying practice in our school and/ or anti-bullying is not regularly reported and monitored within meetings.
  • Not yet met: There is not a senior lead coordinating a whole school approach to anti-bullying. There is not a school governor who leads on anti-bullying.

Why is this important? 

Appointing an anti-bullying lead in schools and educational settings can strengthen efforts to prevent and address bullying. This role is pivotal in coordinating a comprehensive, school-wide approach, ensuring consistent implementation of policies, and fostering a positive, inclusive school culture. Schools that take this approach that we have worked with have seen boosted confidence across the school community, including among parents and carers, while having a lead member of staff developing and driving forward an anti-bullying strategy. 

Appointing a lead school governor for anti-bullying provides crucial oversight, ensuring that anti-bullying policies are robust, consistently implemented, and regularly reviewed. A dedicated governor can champion the importance of tackling bullying, hold the school leadership to account, and help embed a positive school culture. This leadership not only reinforces the school’s commitment to anti-bullying but also builds trust and confidence among pupils, parents, and staff. 

Top tips:

  • Both the school lead and lead governor should be named in your school anti-bullying policy and on the school website. 
  • They should both have undertaken anti-bullying training. 
  • They should both be known to the whole school community including pupils, parents/carers, governors and all staff. This could be made known by an annual anti-bullying leaflet - perhaps coinciding with Anti-Bullying Week for example. 
  • They shouldn't be the only staff in the school with anti-bullying knowledge, but they should be coordinating/planning whole school responses and prevention.

Resources and examples: 

Resources: 

Examples: 

Please note that examples from primary and other school settings may still include some useful hints and tips you can adapt and apply for a secondary setting.

See below for quotes and pieces of advice from other schools:

  • "The head teacher, SMT and the Pastoral manager have worked together to co-ordinate a whole school approach to anti-bullying. Incidence of bullying are reported to full governing body meetings as part of the Headteachers report."
  • “You're not going to create a school where bullying doesn't exist. I think the first step to being engaged in good anti-bullying practice is acknowledging that it's a problem in your school.” 
  • "Given the devastating impact bullying can have on any child or adult, I feel that it is important that the Headteacher or a member of SLT are appointed as the Anti-Bullying Lead. In the past, this role has been led by an experienced class teacher. Bullying comes under safeguarding and should be taken extremely seriously. It should not be something that is thought about for one week of the year, but something that is talked about all the time. By giving the role of Anti-Bullying Lead to a member of SLT, this sends a message to the school community that bullying is taken very seriously and will not be tolerated."
  • "Bullying is discussed at all governors' meetings and we now have a governor who leads on anti-bullying. They hold the school to account with respect to the number of bullying incidents reported, the action taken whenever bullying is reported, and the school's strategy/action planning to reduce bullying."
  • "Widening Governors roles to specific actions of school improvement has been a great success. Governors are better informed, school is better supported and challenged and the wider community have another point of contact should they have any concerns."

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Note: the resources listed at the bottom of this page (below) have all been linked & referenced in the case study section above.