Bullying affects millions of lives each year and is a challenge that schools have to tackle on an ongoing basis. Bullying can have lasting effects on an individual’s mental wellbeing and confidence growing up, which is why it is important for teachers and safeguarding leads to recognise and address instances of bullying as soon as possible to prevent cases from escalating. In this blog we’ve shared some guidance around ways that safeguarding leads and teachers can look out for and effectively report signs of bullying.
Signs of bullying can include:
- Physical assault
- Teasing
- Making threats
- Name calling
- Exclusion / being ‘left out’
- Gossiping and rumours
- Cyberbullying – bullying via mobile phone or online (for example email, social networks and instant messenger)
Research from the Department of Education found that approximately 20% of young people are bullied every year. Online bullying has also become more common, with reports suggesting that around one in five children aged 10 to 15 in England and Wales have experienced targeted bullying online.
Online bullying
The increase in social media use among young people, and the ability for people to remain anonymous online has changed the nature of bullying, meaning instances are becoming more complex to monitor.
Things to look out for:
We have identified some things to look out for in pupils who might be experiencing bullying both online and in person:
- Being withdrawn or disengaged in the classroom
- A decrease in attendance
- Changes in behaviour such as being angrier or demonstrating anxiety that wasn’t previously displayed
- Physical signs such as cuts or bruises, or complaining of headaches
- Suddenly not doing as well with schoolwork
- Belongings getting lost or damaged with no explanation.
How can schools and other settings tackle bullying?
Logging any incidents of bullying, even the smallest of concerns about a student’s wellbeing or safety, accurately and efficiently is key. We recently shared some information around ways of spotting, recording and monitoring signs of bullying which you can read here.
As well as implementing a bullying policy – as outlined by the UK government in its ‘Preventing and tackling bullying guide’ – here are some other things that are worth considering:
- Identifying an anti-bullying lead
- Setting up a peer mentor programme
- Creating a culture of ‘telling’
- Educating pupils on what constitutes as bullying
- Keeping a record of all incidents, no matter how big or small
To find out more about how you can effectively log and monitor signs of bullying, get in touch with a member of our team today.
