New campaign to help governors tackle bullying in schools

We are delighted to announce the launch of our latest campaign, ‘Boards Against Bullying’, in conjunction with Governors for Schools! The campaign will help governors to tackle bullying in schools.

With almost 30% of school leaders reporting that non-physical and physical forms of bullying occur at least twice weekly in their schools, we believe it’s time to take action. Over the coming weeks, we look forward to working with Governors for Schools to deliver a valuable set of resources for new, existing, and prospective governors, as well as the wider education community.

Bullying puts young people’s mental health and life chances at risk. As well as impacting their schoolwork, bullying can dent a pupil’s self-esteem and ability to thrive in the broader social world.

As actor, comedian, and official Kidscape ambassador Olga Thompson explains: “Bullying can have a lasting and detrimental impact on people’s lives. The ‘Boards Against Bullying’ campaign represents a significant step towards combatting this issue and demonstrates the vital role school governors play in shaping a school’s ethos and culture. Let’s build a future in which kindness, empathy, and friendship flourish.”

As Olga mentions, governors have a unique opportunity to drive cultural change in schools and help instil values such as kindness and cooperation in today’s classrooms. Their strategic responsibilities mean governors have a say over current anti-bullying policies and whether they’re fit for purpose. Governors can also help schools build valuable partnerships with community organisations and specialist anti-bullying programmes to address bullying inside and outside school.

To equip governors with a deeper understanding of bullying and make the most of board meetings, we’ll cover some of the most pressing issues affecting today’s young people. Common problems include the effects of bullying on mental health, the underlying reasons young people bully their peers, and how online technologies like games, social media, and instant messaging play a role in bullying behaviours.

Governors for Schools will release a new eLearning module focused on anti-bullying strategies, host a webinar in conjunction with experts here at Kidscape, and publish a real governor story about tackling bullying. They will also publish a host of engaging articles, the first of which will focus on myths and misconceptions surrounding bullying. For more information, visit their campaign webpage.