Last Friday was the National Day of Action against Bullying and this was the focus of our Pastoral Lessons this week.

Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on all those involved, including bystanders.

The College has a zero tolerance for bullying and we encourage parents to report this to the College as soon as possible. Waiting too long in anticipation of change can be detrimental to all parties.

Signs a parent may notice if their child is being bullied:

• doesn’t want to go to school
• changes the way they travel to or from school
• changes in sleep patterns
• changes in eating patterns
• mood changes
• unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches
• missing or damaged belongings or clothes
• arriving home hungry.

Students who are more likely to be bullied are also more likely to:

• feel disconnected from school and not like school
• lack quality friendships at school
• display high levels of emotionality that indicate vulnerability and low levels of resilience
• be less well accepted by peers, avoid conflict and be socially withdrawn
• have low self-esteem
• be relatively non-assertive
• be different in some way

A student who bullies may:

• repeatedly tease, imitate or make fun of the same students
• feel the need to dominate or control others
• show no compassion for someone who’s experiencing bullying
• repeatedly exclude or ignore the same student or students.
• whisper behind their backs on a frequent basis.
• feel disconnected from school and dislike school
• demonstrate good leadership skills
• behave in a manner that makes others feel unsafe when travelling on public transport
• lack thought and sensitivity in relation to the posting of content pertaining to others online
• demonstrate a disregard for the property or belongings of other
• demonstrate good verbal skills and ability to talk themselves out of trouble.

If you are concerned that your son is experiencing bullying or may have witnessed bullying we encourage you to reach out to your son’s Pastoral Care Teacher/ Assistant Pastoral Care Coordinator/ Pastoral Care Coordinator or myself for support, with the assurance of confidentiality and action.

Mrs Hughes
Director of Pastoral Care & Wellbeing