This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Education Safeguarding Professional, Jatinder Matharu, for the attention of All Schools.
It is national anti-bullying week from 14th-18th November 2022. The themes this year is Reach Out Anti-Bullying Week 2022: Reach Out (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)
Bullying affects millions of lives and can leave us feeling hopeless. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If we challenge it, we can change it. And it starts by reaching out! Whether it’s in school, at home, in the community or online, let’s reach out and show each other the support we need. Reach out to someone you trust if you need to talk. Reach out to someone you know is being bullied. Reach out and consider a new approach. The week will kick off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 14th November, which is supported by CBBC.
The Anna Freud’s, Mentally Healthy Schools team developed a toolkit for Anti-Bullying Week toolkit for schools and FE colleges last year and further phase specific resources can be accessed here: mental-health-and-wellbeing-school-timetable-autumn-2022.pdf
Some things you can do to raise the profile of bullying may include:
- Hold all-school assemblies to mark the week
- Ensure students know what to do if they are a bystander to bullying
- Explore the characteristics of healthy relationships in PSHE/RSHE lessons
- Review your school’s anti-bullying policy