Opinion

Education policy: Six opportunities to boost anti-bullying work in schools

Anti-Bullying Pupil wellbeing Behaviour Pastoral issues Government policy
It may not seem like the new government’s education agenda is focused on bullying, but a number of policies have the potential to help schools drive forward their anti-bullying work. Martha Evans picks out six...
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The new Labour government has been in place for just a few months, but it has already begun to share its plans for education.

At first glance, anti-bullying measures seem to have been completely missed. However, if you look a little closer, there are some real opportunities to influence and protect children from bullying.

In fact, many of the policies outlined so far have the potential to reshape the way we approach bullying prevention. Let’s unpack what this all means, and how we can put pressure on the new government to seize the moment to make meaningful change.

 

1, Children’s Wellbeing Bill

First and foremost, we have the Children’s Wellbeing Bill – announced in the King’s Speech in July and which is due to be introduced “as soon as Parliamentary time allows” (UK Parliament, 2024).

The Bill is all about putting children at the heart of both education and social care, and ensuring that they are safe, healthy, and happy. This is a golden opportunity for those of us in the anti-bullying space.

While it focuses on wellbeing in a broad sense, we know that bullying has a significant impact on pupil wellbeing and attainment. What if this Bill could guarantee that every school has robust policies and support systems in place to protect children from bullying?

Specifically, the Bill will likely include Labour’s breakfast clubs policy – Labour has already announced its intention that all primary schools in England will offer free breakfast clubs.

You might be wondering how this ties into bullying prevention, but the social side of school is just as important as the academic. Breakfast clubs give children a chance to start the day in a positive, inclusive environment. By making sure all pupils have access to a nutritious meal, regardless of their background, we are reducing stigma and fostering social cohesion. This kind of initiative can help prevent bullying that stems from socio-economic differences – an issue that is all too common in schools.

Also likely to be in the Bill is Labour’s plan to cap the number of branded uniform items required by schools and this is another move that can help tackle bullying.

There is a reported link between school uniforms and appearance-targeted bullying, with young people often telling us that those from lower-income families are sometimes targeted because they can’t afford expensive branded items that some schools require (McFarlane, 2023).

As such, this small change could have a big impact on reducing bullying linked to socio-economic disparities.

 

2, Curriculum and Assessment Review

With the launch of its Curriculum and Assessment Review Labour has doubled down on its commitment to standardise the national curriculum across all schools, including academies and free schools.

It has said: “Following the review, all state schools – including academies who currently do not have to follow the national curriculum – will be required by law to teach the national curriculum up to age 16, giving parents certainty over their children’s education.” (DfE, 2024).

The review might not immediately scream "anti-bullying", but a consistent national curriculum provides the perfect chance to integrate essential topics like bullying prevention, online safety, and relationships education.

When all schools are required to teach the same core content, it means that every child will learn about these critical issues. This standardisation could level the playing field, ensuring that all students are equipped with the knowledge and tools to foster a safe, supportive environment for themselves and their peers.

 

3, Qualified teacher status

Labour has suggested it could make qualified teacher status (QTS) mandatory for all teachers (or at least all new teachers), including in academies.

For us, this is a real opportunity to advocate for anti-bullying training to become a core part of teacher training. Currently, teachers are not required to cover anti-bullying in their training and the government does not provide anti-bullying training.

If every teacher was trained to recognise and address bullying effectively, we could see a shift in teacher confidence and how schools handle these issues. And when we consider that around 1 in 5 children face bullying every year (DfE, 2022), this could make a world of difference.

 

4, Register of children not in school

Another key proposal is the introduction of the long-awaited register of children not in school. Bullying is a major factor in absenteeism and children who are being bullied often avoid school, with some pulled out of school altogether.

By keeping a register of children not in school, and tracking when bullying is a cause, we can ensure that those children aren’t left to fall through the cracks. This data could further be used to identify schools that are struggling with bullying.

 

5, AI and attendance

Elsewhere, there is also Labour’s push to use AI to analyse pupil attendance data – AI could be a game-changer for identifying patterns of absenteeism linked to bullying.

If we can harness this technology to spot when children are missing school because of bullying, we can intervene earlier and more effectively. It could give schools the data they need to develop targeted solutions, making sure no child suffers in silence. As a first step, we’d need to follow the example set in Northern Ireland where schools have a duty to record bullying incidents under the Addressing Bullying in Schools Act 2016.

 

6, Ofsted

The King’s Speech hinted at enhanced powers for Ofsted, particularly when it comes to inspecting social care providers and residential special schools. Stronger oversight from Ofsted could lead to better accountability for schools with recurring bullying problems. More thorough inspections could help identify patterns of bullying, giving schools the chance to make necessary changes and ensure that children are protected.

 

Final thoughts

While we are sadly not hearing much specifically about anti-bullying measures from the new government yet, there are plenty of opportunities buried within its announcements. For those of us working to prevent bullying, the time is ripe to advocate for the change required to make sure that every child feels safe and supported at school.

Let’s make the most of this moment to unite against bullying and make a lasting difference.

  • Martha Evans is director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, part of the National Children’s Bureau. Anti-Bullying Week takes place from 11 to 15 November and is coordinated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. A range of free resources for schools are available here. Find Martha’s previous articles and podcast appearances for Headteacher Update via www.headteacher-update.com/authors/martha-evans 

 

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