Bullying

One of the greatest concerns for parents is likely to be bullying. It is an unfortunate fact, that no school is totally free from bullying. However, there are key things to look out for which show that a school is effectively tackling the problem.

• If you are told by a school that no bullying goes on in their institution, they are quite simply not telling you the truth.
• Your best gauge as to how much bullying goes on is to ask the students themselves on a school visit.
• A solid pastoralThe pastoral system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoral systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. systemThe pastoralThe pastoral system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoral systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoralThe pastoral system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoral systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. often mitigates against bullying. Bullying is more likely to occur in a school where the students do not have faith in the ability of teachers to sort things out for them. A good pastoralThe pastoral system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoral systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. systemThe pastoralThe pastoral system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoral systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoralThe pastoral system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoral systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. means that students will tell teachers if they are being bullied, without fear of the teacher making things worse.
• Find out whether your child will have a tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. who is approachable and interested in their welfare. A good tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. develops a sense of belonging and responsibility in her form group, so that students look out for each other. You also want a school where the year or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. system actually works – where there is a Head of YearA student will be in a year group from Years 7 to 11 or 13*.They might also be in a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. A houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is a team that students are organised into, usually for reasons of group loyalty or inter group competition. The Head of year or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is responsible for a year group or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. The Head of year usually progresses up the school with their year group, eventually becoming their Head of year 11Fifth year of secondary school, 15 - 16 years old.. Less commonly, Heads of year remain stationary while the students move on, for example, a static Head of year 7First year of secondary school, 11 - 12 years old.. Heads of 6th formThe 6th form is for key stage 5* students age 16 to 18 studying ‘A’ LevelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally.* or vocationalNormally found at key stages 4 and 5*, a vocational course has a strong work related focus.* qualifications, such as a BTECA BTEC is a vocational* qualification which is usually completed at Key Stage 4* or 5* and can be equivalent to GCSEs or 'A' levelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally..* or NVQs, - National VocationalNormally found at key stages 4 and 5*, a vocational course has a strong work related focus. Qualifications. are normally specialistSpecialist Schools specialise in a particular curriculum area. In the past, they had to apply to the DfES* to be designated as specialist, and they were given extra money to develop resources in their specialist area. These schools can also prioritise 10% of their places for students with a particular aptitude in the specialism, although few do. Specialist schools are often called colleges, for example, Science and Technology Colleges. posts.The Head of year or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is usually responsible for results, behaviour and the moral and social welfare of students. After the tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*.*, the head of year or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is the first person a parent would contact about their child. or HouseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. who can take effective action against bullying and whom the students trustTrust schools are broadly the same as foundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. schoolsFoundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools.. They receive extra support (usually non-monetary) from a charitable trust made up of partners working together for the benefit of the school. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools..
• A school should always have an anti-bullying policy with which teachers and students must be familiar. If there is no policy at all, then that is a cause for concern. However, I have been in schools where the policy is papered everywhere, but it is not a living document that anyone takes notice of. It is effective action that counts, not words.
• There are various initiatives run by schools which can reduce the chances of bullying occurring. Older students who have been trained as counsellors or mentorsLearning Mentors are employed by schools to support students encountering social or organisational difficulties which are hindering their studies. often provide effective support. A buddy system between older and younger students is sometimes adopted by schools, and prefect systems can be very effective, if the prefects protect younger students from bullying rather than instigating it themselves. Indeed, any process which encourages older students to look after the younger children is advantageous. Some schools have a vertical tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. groupAlso known as ‘form group’. In most secondary schools, students are organised into tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. groups. Usually these tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. groups are horizontal – that means they are made up of students from the same year group; less often they are vertical – composed of students from all year groups. The tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. group is the students’ core social group. Students usually register with their tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*.*. system, where groups contain students from all year groups. This system is often effective in reducing bullying.
• A school that is serious about creating a safe environment for its students should have a student council where student representatives are consulted by staff on key issues. In many schools the student council is weak. Students don’t take it seriously, and the discussions never get beyond paper in the girls’ toilets. However, a successful student council can really make students feel that they have a voice that is counted, and they can trustTrust schools are broadly the same as foundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. schoolsFoundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools.. They receive extra support (usually non-monetary) from a charitable trust made up of partners working together for the benefit of the school. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. the process to address issues as serious as bullying.
• Schools that take the time to listen to students are more likely to combat bullying effectively. For example, if schools have an annual self evaluation process, which involves questioning students, they are likely to pick up bullying issues, such as when and where bullying happens,which might otherwise go unnoticed.
• Schools are required to deliver the subject of CitizenshipThe subject of citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It is currently statutory at key stage 3 and 4* for schools which are required to teach the National Curriculum.*. Usually, it is taught as a discrete subject, or it maybe integrated into other  subject areas. Bullying is something that should be covered by the CitizenshipThe subject of citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It is currently statutory at key stage 3 and 4* for schools which are required to teach the National Curriculum.* curriculum in some form. In some schools, CitizenshipThe subject of citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It is currently statutory at key stage 3 and 4* for schools which are required to teach the National Curriculum.* is not taken sufficiently seriously. In this context, the inclusion of bullying as a curriculum issue will have little effect on the wider school.To ensure CitizenshipThe subject of citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It is currently statutory at key stage 3 and 4* for schools which are required to teach the National Curriculum.* is taken more seriously schools sometimes employ a specialistSpecialist Schools specialise in a particular curriculum area. In the past, they had to apply to the DfES* to be designated as specialist, and they were given extra money to develop resources in their specialist area. These schools can also prioritise 10% of their places for students with a particular aptitude in the specialism, although few do. Specialist schools are often called colleges, for example, Science and Technology Colleges. CitizenshipThe subject of citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It is currently statutory at key stage 3 and 4* for schools which are required to teach the National Curriculum.* teacher, make the subject a GCSEGCSEs, (General Certificate of Secondary Education) are the key qualification students take at key stage 4* when they are 16.They replaced ‘O’ Levels. Most schools make English, Maths and Science GCSEs obligatory. GCSEs have grades from A*–U. In the eyes of schools, colleges and the government, a ‘C’ grade is in effect a pass, a ‘D’ grade or below is a fail. Many further education* courses demand that students achieve five GCSEs at grades A*–C. option, or stage whole school extra-curricularExtra-curricular activities take place outside of lesson times, for example, at lunchtime or after school. events related to CitizenshipThe subject of citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It is currently statutory at key stage 3 and 4* for schools which are required to teach the National Curriculum.*, for example, anti-bullying Drama productions. In this atmosphere, the inclusion of an anti-bullying message as an aspect of the curriculum may have more impact.
• Bullying often takes place if the school has ‘no go’ areas, where students are in control and teachers rarely patrol. A school serious about the threat of bullying should be constantly working to make all areas safe, open and accessible. Teachers should be visible, and the environment should be well maintainedMaintained schools are funded by the government via the local authority, and do not charge fees to students. The categories of maintained school are: communityCommunity schools are the standard type of maintained, state school., foundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. (including trustTrust schools are broadly the same as foundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. schoolsFoundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools.. They receive extra support (usually non-monetary) from a charitable trust made up of partners working together for the benefit of the school. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools.), voluntary aidedIn voluntary aided schools (many of which are faith schools) the governing body, as opposed to the local education authority*, employs the staff, and decides admission arrangements. and voluntary controlledIn Voluntary controlled schools, the charitable foundationFoundation schools are broadly the same as trust schools. The governing body is the employer and admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools. authority, rather than the local authority, as is the case for maintained schools. Faith schools are often trust schools. which owns the school, (often a church organisation) appoints the governorsEvery school has a governing body. They are a group of volunteers chosen by parents, the local authority, the community and school staff.They are responsible for strategic and legal aspects of the school’s work. The governing body line manages the Head teacher., but the teachers are employed by the local education authority*, which is also responsible for admissionsAdmissions is the department in the local education authority responsible for allocating children to schools.*...

Further Information

Open Evening

At the open evening, ask to speak to a teacher who is also a tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*.. Ask them about what strategies they use to combat bullying. You want to get a sense of whether tutors take on board the issue of bullying at a grass roots level, or leave it to someone else to sort out. You also want to get an idea of whether this is a school where tutors take an active interest in their tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. groupAlso known as ‘form group’. In most secondary schools, students are organised into tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. groups. Usually these tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. groups are horizontal – that means they are made up of students from the same year group; less often they are vertical – composed of students from all year groups. The tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. group is the students’ core social group. Students usually register with their tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*.*., or whether the pastoralThe pastoral system is the mechanism responsible for your child’s welfare. Most schools have Heads of year*, assistant heads of year and tutors*. In some schools there is a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.* system, with a head and deputy head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. These people are usually responsible primarily for your child’s social wellbeing, although in recent years there has been more emphasis in school pastoral systems upon raising academic attainmentSchools are measured nationally in terms of progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured. and attainment. Attainment is how well pupils do according to national averages, and in national examinations, regardless of how good they were when they started the school.. curriculum is just tokenistic. Find the teacher responsible for CitizenshipThe subject of citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. It is currently statutory at key stage 3 and 4* for schools which are required to teach the National Curriculum.* and ask about how it is taught – is the topic of bullying included in the curriculum? Look out for a code of conduct or set of school rules on display. This should include an antibullying statement. It should be prominent in all classrooms. If it is not, ask why.

Questions to ask the Head teacher:

Do you have an anti-bullying policy, and how do you implement it?

How do you actively tackle bullying at this school?

Questions to ask the Head of YearA student will be in a year group from Years 7 to 11 or 13*.They might also be in a houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*. A houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is a team that students are organised into, usually for reasons of group loyalty or inter group competition. The Head of year or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is responsible for a year group or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.. The Head of year usually progresses up the school with their year group, eventually becoming their Head of year 11Fifth year of secondary school, 15 - 16 years old.. Less commonly, Heads of year remain stationary while the students move on, for example, a static Head of year 7First year of secondary school, 11 - 12 years old.. Heads of 6th formThe 6th form is for key stage 5* students age 16 to 18 studying ‘A’ LevelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally.* or vocationalNormally found at key stages 4 and 5*, a vocational course has a strong work related focus.* qualifications, such as a BTECA BTEC is a vocational* qualification which is usually completed at Key Stage 4* or 5* and can be equivalent to GCSEs or 'A' levelsAt key stage 2* and key stage 3* students are awarded National Curriculum levels to measure academic progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured.. The levels go from level 1 to level 8. In Year 9*, level 5 is the average nationally..* or NVQs, - National VocationalNormally found at key stages 4 and 5*, a vocational course has a strong work related focus. Qualifications. are normally specialistSpecialist Schools specialise in a particular curriculum area. In the past, they had to apply to the DfES* to be designated as specialist, and they were given extra money to develop resources in their specialist area. These schools can also prioritise 10% of their places for students with a particular aptitude in the specialism, although few do. Specialist schools are often called colleges, for example, Science and Technology Colleges. posts.The Head of year or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is usually responsible for results, behaviour and the moral and social welfare of students. After the tutorAlso known as ‘form tutor’. A tutor is a teacher who registers a class of students and oversees their moral and social welfare. They should have a close overview of each tutee’s progressSchools are measured nationally according to attainment and progress. Progress is how well pupils have done given their starting points. For example, pupils' progress from key stage 2 to key stage 4 is measured., although it is quite likely that the tutor will not teach the students in their tutor group. Tutors are often the first point of contact for parents. A tutor is line managed by a head of year* or head of houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.*.*, the head of year or houseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups. is the first person a parent would contact about their child. or HouseSee also 'Head of year/ Head of house'. A house is a team that groups of students are organised into for reasons of motivation and camaraderie. Houses usually stretch across year groups.:

What do you do if one of your year group comes to you and says that they are bullied?

Does the school have a student council, and what does it do?

Visit

Ask the student who is showing you round about bullying. Ask if they have ever suffered from it. Ask how the older students get on with the younger students. Ask the student what they would do if they got bullied and what the school does if someone gets bullied.You want to find out whether students have faith in the system and actually report bullying, because they have an expectation that the school can sort it out for them. Ask the student whether there are any ‘no go’ areas, which they avoid because of the threat of bullying. When you are walking around the school, ask your student guide to take you to the backs of buildings,where staff are least likely to go. It is obviously a cause for concern if you experience an atmosphere of threat when you visit these areas. Look out for graffiti and cigarette butts – signs that areas are not regularly supervised.

Case Study

Summary