Anti-Bullying
10th-14th November 2025 is Anti-Bullying Week
This week, we will be marking Anti-Bullying Week across the school, with a focus on raising awareness, promoting kindness, and reinforcing our shared commitment to creating a safe and respectful environment for all.
As part of this national initiative, children are invited to wear odd socks throughout the week to celebrate individuality and show that it's okay to be different. This simple but powerful gesture helps to highlight the importance of inclusion and respect in our school community.
At our Church of England school, this theme links closely with our core values of love and respect. We believe that every child should feel valued, supported, and free from bullying of any kind. Through assemblies, class discussions, and creative activities, we will be exploring how we can all play a part in standing up to bullying and showing kindness in our words and actions.
We look forward to a week of learning, reflection, and celebration of what makes each of us unique.
Remember to wear your odd socks this week!
Great Horwood School Anti-Bullying Code
What is Bullying?
“behaviour by an individual or group, usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally” (Preventing and Tackling Bullying DfE 2014)
What is Cyberbullying?
“the use of ICT, particularly the internet and mobile phones, deliberately to upset someone else”
Bullying is intentional behaviour by an individual or group that is :
- Repeated over time
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Causes physical or emotional harm
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It can be about anything and happen to anyone.
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It can happen in lessons, around school, on the way to and from school and online.
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Bullying causes harm and long-term effects.
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It can be repeated name-calling, teasing or physical behaviour. Even if the person who has displayed bullying behaviour or others say that it is a joke,
If it causes harm and is repeated, then it is bullying.
Remember:
Everybody has the right to feel safe and happy at school
Everybody has the responsibility to stop bullying – this includes students, staff, parents and Governors
Nobody should stand by and let bullying happen
What to do if you feel you are being bullied?
- Walk away calmly from the situation as soon as it is possible
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Don't just hope it will stop – don't just try to ignore it. Take some positive steps to improve your life:
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Keep a log each day of what has happened, who was involved and how it made you feel
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Don't be afraid of reporting the bullying to an adult / parent or someone you trust – it WILL get better
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Keep reporting it / talking about it
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Keep any evidence of online bullying and report this
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Block any users on social media who have bullied you
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Read the support books in the library
What to do if you see bullying or hear about it from someone else.
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Never join in or react in any way that encourages the person who has displayed bullying behaviour
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Take positive action to support the person who has or is being bullied:
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Report it to a member of staff
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Inform your class teacher or headteacher
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Tell someone you trust who you know will help
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Screenshot any evidence on social media and report to the school
What will the school do to deal with bullying?
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Promote an environment of positive support for all through our school vision and values;
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Raise awareness through educating pupils in worship, circle time and PSHE lessons;
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Raise awareness through events led by the anti-bullying alliance, such as Wear odd socks in Anti-bullying week.
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Bullied pupils will be taken seriously and treated with respect;
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The school will suggest strategies to help the person who has been bullied deal with bullying;
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The school will offer the person being bullied the support of an adult or counselling or pupil peer buddies;
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Bullying behaviour will be dealt with using appropriate sanctions in line with the school behaviour and anti-bullying policies;
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People displaying bullying behaviour will be helped to change the attitudes and behaviour that have led to bullying behaviour;
‘It is a collective responsibility of all members of the school community to deal with bullying and support those pupils that have experienced bullying’
In addition, we train staff to:
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Challenge any negative behaviour to include: physical violence or threats to hurt someone; name-calling and spreading hurtful rumours; cyberbullying; excluding anyone from an activity or social group, ignoring or not talking to someone in order to hurt them; ridiculing someone; taking or damaging someone’s property; pressurising someone to do things they don’t want to do.
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Challenge any discriminatory language relating to race, religion, gender, sexuality or disability.
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Consider ways of bringing bullies and victims together to resolve differences using restorative practices in line with the school bahviour policy.
Work with pupils to help them:
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Understand what bullying is;
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Understand the causes and types of bullying, why it occurs and what can be done about it
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Deal quickly, firmly and fairly with any incidents of bullying
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Develop effective ways of supporting victims
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Enable them to report bullying to someone they trust
Work with parents/carers to:
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Help identify and deal with bullying
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Support their child
Useful Anti-Bullying Websites