This November, our Junior and Senior pupils celebrated Anti-Bullying Week, raising awareness of bullying in young people. The theme this year was Reach Out, to empower children to do something positive to counter the harm and hurt that bullying causes.
To kick-start the week, pupils wore odd socks to highlight what makes us all unique and help prevent bullying.
Pupils also produced mashup collaboration videos, where they were joined by other local GDST schools to make a stand against bullying.
Senior pupils carried out good deeds and raised money as form groups for the Anti-Bullying Alliance, a coalition of organisations and individuals with a shared vision to unite against bullying and create environments where children feel safe to be themselves without fear of bullying. Junior pupils carried out pledges and shared them will parallel year groups at our sister GDST school, Croydon High School.
A pledge from a Year 2 pupil
The school has a zero-tolerance to child-on-child abuse, which can take various forms, including serious bullying. In our assembly and through form time activities, pupils reviewed the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy and learnt that certain behaviours will never be passed off as horseplay, teasing or ‘banter’. Downplaying such behaviours can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours and an unsafe environment.
“As a school we believe that if we challenge it, we can change it,” said Mrs Hathway, Deputy Head Pastoral. “To ensure that our community is undivided, our Senior School Steering group met this week to start working on collaborative project to review the pupil code of conduct and create a charter that is committed to encouraging respectful relationships; respect for ourselves, respect for others and respect for the school environment.”
To read the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy and Discipline & Behaviour for Learning Policy, please visit our Policies page.