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Bullying hurts and you don't have to endure it. If you are on the receiving end of bullying, there are many things that can be done to make your life easier. This web site is intended to show pupils, their families and teachers how to tackle a problem that has gone on for far too long.
It is packed with new ideas, practical techniques and the valuable experiences of those who have been bullied, or have even bullied others, to demonstrate that you need not Suffer in Silence.

Tackling cyberbullying

Mobile, Internet and wireless technologies have increased the pace of communication and brought benefits to users worldwide. But their popularity provides increasing opportunities for misuse through 'cyberbullying'. It's crucial that children and young people, who are particularly skilful at adapting to new technology, use their mobiles and the Internet safely and positively, and that they are aware of the consequences of misuse. School staff, parents and young people have to be constantly vigilant and work together to prevent this form of bullying and tackle it wherever it appears.

The advent of cyberbullying adds new dimensions to the problem of bullying. Unlike other forms of bullying, cyberbullying can follow children and young people into their private spaces and outside school hours; there is no safe haven for the person being bullied. Cyberbullies can communicate their messages to a wide audience with remarkable speed, and can often remain unseen and unidentifiable.

• What is cyberbullying?
• How extensive is the problem?
• Who is most vulnerable?
• What can you do about it?
• Useful links

Video

An Anti-Bullying Video was been made with stars such as Rio Ferdinand, Vernon Kay and Sugar babes to encourage young people to "make a stand" against bullying. It was launched in conjunction with the first ever national Anti-Bullying week of 22-26 November 2004. To view it, you'll need to have Microsoft's Windows Media Player on your computer. If you click on the link below, the video will begin to play.
Watch the Beat Bullying Video

A 60 second film has been launched by Ivan Lewis to support the message that all forms of bullying are unacceptable and to encourage children to 'tell someone' if they are being victimised.
Click here to view the film

Anti-bullying Charter

The schools' anti-bullying Charter for Action was launched by Ivan Lewis in November 2003

Click here to download PDF document

If you or someone you know is being bullied, click here for help

If you want to combat bullying in your school or formulate a whole school anti-bullying policy, click here to see what you can do.

and families Would you know if your child was being bullied? Would you know what to do if they were? Click here to find out.

provide further reading to accompany the Department's anti-bullying pack, Don't Suffer in Silence and links to some websites about bullying in schools

National Anti-Bullying Poetry book

The National Anti-bullying Poetry Anthology is being launched in preparation for anti-bullying week November 2005. The book contains the winning and short listed poems from children and staff in primary, secondary and special schools from around the country, as well as comments from the celebrity judges and a special poem by poet Andrew Fusek Peters. The competition, which took place during last year’s Anti-bullying week, received nearly 6,000 entries.

These poems highlight issues around bullying, including homophobic and racist bullying.

The booklet is intended to be used as both a teaching resource, for example within Literacy lessons, as well as a means via which to raise the issue of bullying.

Used in the right way, words can be very powerful.

Download the Anti bullying poetry anthology (PDF 19KB)

Download the whole Winners document (PDF 4MB)

Download the Winners document - Part 1 (PDF 2MB)

Download the Winners document - Part 2 (PDF 2MB)

Views of young people

On 25 March 2003, the Department published Research Brief 400 'Tackling Bullying: listening to the views of children and young people'. This summarises new research which has been funded by DfES, commissioned by ChildLine and taken forward by the Thomas Coram Research Unit on young people's views. It underlines the importance of starting with young people's experiences when drawing up and reviewing anti-bullying policies. Download copy of the document:

Tackling Bullying: Listening to the views of children and young people - download pdf

DfES Pack

We have had our anti-bullying Pack externally evaluated by means of a questionnaire that was sent to 500 schools by researchers at Goldsmith's College, University of London. The results, though based on a fairly low response rate from schools, show that the schools found that the pack met their expectations and helped in drawing up their anti-bullying policies. These results are published in Research Brief XO6-03 'Evaluation of the DfES Anti-Bullying Pack', issued on 24 April 2003 - please see the downloadable file below. The results suggest in addition that the schools that have the Pack need to ensure that all staff can access it whenever they wish to.

Evaluation of the DFES anti-bullying pack- download pdf

Please click below for an anti-bullying postcard for learners affected by bullying, and translations of this postcard.

• English Version 1,224 kb
• Albanian Version 148 kb
• Arabic Version 135 kb
• French Version 149 kb
• Kurdish Version 236 kb
• Mandarin Version 138 kb
• Russian Version 137 kb
• Somali Version 2,337 kb
• Tamil Version 242 kb
• Turkish Version 170 kb
• Dutch Version 65 kb
• Swahili Version 65 kb