2.3) The policy has a clear definition of bullying that is understood by all members of the school community

Rating description:

Fully met: We have a clear definition of bullying which is written into the policy. We have implemented a range of methods to ensure that the entire school community understand the definition. For example: via lessons, sessions for parents, training for school staff etc.
Partially met: Our definition of bullying is in our school policy but it is not clear and/or it is not understood by the school community.
Not yet met: The policy does not have a definition of bullying and it is not understood by the school community.

Why is this important?

Having a clear definition of bullying within the policy ensures that all members of the school community—pupils, parents, and staff—share a common understanding of what constitutes bullying. A clear definition helps distinguish bullying from other forms of conflict, ensuring that incidents are identified, reported, and addressed appropriately. When everyone understands what bullying is, including its different forms such as physical, verbal, relational, and online bullying, the school can take a consistent and proactive approach to prevention and intervention. This clarity supports a culture where bullying is not tolerated, and all pupils feel safe, respected, and supported.

Top Tips:

You can share your school's definition of bullying during assemblies dedicated to the subject, and have displays around the school to make sure everyone is aware of the definition.
Use the ABA resources to hold classroom activities and share the definition of bullying with pupils.
Share the school's definition of bullying parent/ carers using parents' evenings and the school's newsletters.

Resources and examples:

Resources:

The Anti-Bullying Alliance has a wealth of resources to support you develop your shared understanding of bullying:
- Information about the ABA definition of bullying
- Links to resources to share the definition of bullying with staff and pupils
- What is bullying? online free CPD training for professionals. This could be distributed to as many school staff as you like to complete.
- Free online parent tool which includes a section on the definition of bullying

Examples:

Primary School Case Study - on coming up with a school definition of bullying.
Primary School Case Study - on involving the whole school community in understanding the definition of bullying.
Primary School Case Study - on ensuring that the definition of bullying is understood by the whole school community.
Secondary School Case Study - on improving parents' understanding of bullying.
Watch the below video for an example from a United Against Bullying Plus School talking about the impact of having a shared definition of bullying:

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

"The key improvement to our practice has been around the labels/learning of the wider roles often present in a bullying situation. By being able to identify these, we have been able to explicitly teach children and adults about them, which has lead to both greater understanding and an easier way to hold children accountable for their actions."
“There are some really obvious things that we thought we were doing that we probably weren't. One of them would be just having a definition [of bullying] that everyone understands, and that includes students and parents. […] Parents can sometimes struggle to accept if something's relational conflict or bullying, and having a definition that's really straightforward is very, very helpful.”
"Pupils engaged openly with conversations about bullying rather than accusing their peers. During a meeting with a concerned parent, one year 2 pupil was able to explain to them why what had been happening to them was not bullying.".