Rating description:
- Fully met: There is a senior lead coordinating a whole school approach to anti-bullying. The school community knows who they are and they are written into the anti-bullying and/or behaviour policies.
- Partially met: There is a senior lead but the school community do not know who they are and/or it is not written into anti-bullying policies.
- Not yet met: There is not a senior lead coordinating a whole school approach to 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. Learn more below.
Top tips:
- This person should be named in your school anti-bullying policy and on the school website.
- They should have undertaken anti-bullying training.
- They should 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:
- Anti-bullying leads can undertake our free CPD online training courses
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.
- Primary School Case Study - on raising the profile of anti-bullying throughout the school
- Primary School Case Study - on ensuring practice is consistent throughout the school
- Primary School Case Study - on securing understanding of bullying for pupils and their parents/carers
- Watch the below video for an example from a United Against Bullying School who appointed a designated anti-bullying lead:
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."
- "Named member of SLT as Anti bullying leader. Posters up around school so teachers are aware"
- "(Deputy Head) is identified as Behaviour lead on school website and as the Anti-Bullying lead in the policy and home/school organiser. (Deputy Head) regularly holds Antibullying assemblies and the pupils and parents are well aware that she is the lead as pupils and their parents come to talk to her if there is a problem (evidenced in CPOMS - child protection and safeguarding system). Weekly staff briefings includes a session for staff to share any safeguarding issues"
- "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 in Our Lady Immaculate is taken very seriously and will not be tolerated."
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Note: the resources listed at the bottom of this page (below) have all been referenced in the text above.