Lionheart Schools recognised national Anti-Bullying Week campaign

This year, Anti-bullying week, from Monday 14th – Friday 18th November, has given Lionheart schools a further platform to raise awareness of bullying, and empower our young people with the skills to reach out to ask for help, or support others. Coordinated by the Anti-bullying Alliance, this year’s theme was ‘Reach Out’. 

Schools across the Lionheart Educational Trust recognised anti-bullying week through a number of initiatives during the week, however, with all schools placing great importance on anti-bullying, many initiatives are regularly communicated to young people throughout the year. Initiatives throughout and beyond the campaign, include: 

• School assemblies with the theme of ‘Reach Out’ taking place across the Trust during the week. 
• Schools celebrated the uniqueness of their young people through Odd Socks Day, with the Sixth form students at The Castle Rock School taking it one step further with Odd Shoe Day. 
• Pupils at Highcliffe Primary completed work around an anti-bullying initiative during the week, and also promote worry boxes for children to access and have appointed wellbeing ambassadors. 
• Riverside Primary school have established worry monsters for children to talk to and have appointed wellbeing ambassadors who are always on hand to identify any concerns between other children. The school’s PSHE protectors shared friendly games with pupils in the playground during the week. 
• As part of Anti-bullying week at Humphrey Perkins chocolate bars were hidden around the school site for students to find as part of their random act of kindness day. During Thursday lunchtime, staff ran a kindness rock painting workshop for all students. Students were able to take these rocks home and either hide them for someone to find or give them to someone else. Every student was given a postcard during tutor time to share a kind thought and reach out to either a friend, family member, staff or neighbour. As part of their ongoing commitment to anti-bullying, they have implemented anti-bullying ambassadors alongside a new email address for students to report any concerns confidentially. Staff have recently completed training for Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) and are training their KS4 ambassadors. Humphrey Perkins are proud to hold the Beyond Bullying Gold Award as recognition for the positive and proactive work they do around preventing and tackling bullying year-round. 
• Beauchamp College launched their anti-slur campaign during the week, as they continue to place great emphasis on all members of their community feeling safe and valued, with equality and kindness at the forefront of everything they do. 
• Following the assemblies held at The Newbridge School, students completed activities linked to anti-bullying during their tutor time. The school have appointed anti-bullying ambassadors to further support their pupils. 
• The Castle Rock School incorporated ‘random acts of kindness’ into their week, with staff rewarding points when they witnessed an act of kindness. At the end of the week, the student with the most kindness reward points was awarded a prize. In addition, Castle Rock have recently elected anti-bullying ambassadors, implemented worry boxes around the school site and have created an email for students to disclose any issues discreetly. 
• Judgemeadow Community College continue to encourage all members of their community to be upstanders and to speak out to report any unkind behaviour. Their school motto for upstanders is to ‘be kind, be brave, be an upstander’. They have recently launched their ‘Mentors in Violence Programme’ and anti-bullying ambassadors are working towards achieving the new anti-bullying award ‘Positive’ and the ‘Peaceful Places’ award.  
• Martin High School have been running small group workshops in their Aspire Hub on subjects such as self-esteem, anxiety, healthy friendships and anger management. Their Monday tutor sessions on ‘It’s who we are’ promotes kindness and reciprocity and their Diversity and Inclusion Officer has been running workshops for students throughout the term. 
• As part of anti-bullying week, through their assemblies and communications, The Cedars Academy have ensured their pupils and parents are aware of who they need to 'Reach out' to if they experience bullying.