Schools: Bullying

(asked on 21st November 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to tackle bullying in schools.


Answered by
Damian Hinds Portrait
Damian Hinds
Minister of State (Education)
This question was answered on 28th November 2023

The government has sent a clear message to schools that bullying, for whatever reason, is unacceptable. Bullying can have a devastating effect on individuals, harm their education and have serious and lasting consequences for their mental health.

All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. Schools have the freedom to develop their own anti-bullying strategies that are appropriate to their environment and are held to account by Ofsted.

The department is providing over £3 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2024, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. This includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate-related bullying and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

In November 2018, the department published ‘Educate Against Hate’, a self-review and signposting tool to support schools to develop a whole-school approach which promotes respect and discipline. This can combat bullying, harassment and prejudice of any kind, including sexual bullying and sexual harassment. It will help schools to identify the various elements that make up a whole school approach, consider gaps in their current practice, and get further support. ‘Educate Against Hate’ is available at: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/school-leaders/?filter=guidance-and-training-school-leaders.

​The department is also making sure that all children in England will learn about respectful relationships, in person and online, as part of new mandatory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). These subjects are designed to give pupils the knowledge they need to lead happy, safe and healthy lives, as well as to foster respect for other people and for difference. RSHE also includes teaching about online safety and harms.

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