Focus: Anti-bullying
BULLYING HAS NO PLACE IN OUR SCHOOL AND OUR COMMUNITY
Anti-Bullying Week 2025 is coordinated in England and Wales by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. It takes place from 10 to 14 November 2025 and has the theme ‘Power For Good'.
What is Bullying?
Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face to face or online.
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 speaking out.
“Too often, we are silent when we see bullying take place, silent about the hurt bullying causes, and silent when we hear bullying dismissed as ‘just banter’. Together, we can make a difference and take a stand against bullying.
From the playground to Parliament, and from our phones to our homes, let’s make a noise about bullying. It doesn't have to be this way. Of course, we won’t like everyone, and we don’t always agree, but we can choose respect and unity.
This Anti-Bullying Week let’s come together to have discussions about what bullying means to us, how banter can turn into something more hurtful, and what we can do to stop bullying.”
“What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander.”Elie Wiesel - Holocaust survivor & human rights champion
What is Banter?
Banter can be a harmless exchange of social interaction between friends which involves teasing or mocking one another, either on a one-to-one basis or more commonly on a friendship group basis. It becomes bullying when:
● Topics that are sensitive, personal, appearance-based, or use offensive language are often considered not appropriate to joke about as banter.
● It happens in more public settings or includes people beyond a friendship group.
● The banter is repeated many times and stops being funny.
If you are a victim of bullying or have witnessed it:
● Speak to someone at school – we strongly encourage this. Please speak to your Form Tutor, Pastoral Support Manager, Head of Year or Mr Keegan or any adult you trust.
● Speak to your parents/carers.
● Contact Childline: Call 0800 1111
WE WILL ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOU AND SUPPORT YOU
