Pupils took part in activities for Anti-Bullying Week (12-16 November).
The Highfield Road school’s Anti-Bullying Ambassadors launched a drop-in ‘Stand Up, Speak Out’ (SUSO) club run by Year 10 and 11 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors, who have taken part in a training session to learn about safeguarding. Pupils who attend SUSO will have the opportunity to play games and crafts, while making new friends and sharing any concerns and anxieties they may have.
Year 7 pupils participated in the national campaign by wearing odd socks to school in support of Anti-Bullying Week. Throughout the week pupils discussed themes around bullying in tutor groups and lessons. Pupils also learned about cyberbullying and online safety with a ‘Stop Speak Support’ day’, a campaign by the Royal Foundation Taskforce on the Prevention of Cyberbullying set up by the Duke of Cambridge
A new recognition scheme was also introduced for pupils and staff to recognise kindness shown to others by sending personalised cards to remind each other how unique and special they are.
Parents and carers are also being encouraged to sign up for access to an online anti-bullying tool to enable and empower them give to them guidance to their loved ones about bullying and how they can help stamp it out.
The school’s anti-bullying activities, follow an event held at the school in January when 70 pupils from schools across the North West came together to learn how to spot bullying and how to stamp it out. The event was led by the Diana Award – founded as a legacy to Diana, Princess of Wales – which runs the Anti-Bullying Ambassadors programme across 2,500 schools. 21 Highfield Leadership Academy pupils are now trained Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.
Helen Mackenzie OBE, Executive Principal at Highfield Leadership Academy, said:
“Tackling bullying is an issue of huge importance to our entire school community so we wanted to raise awareness during Anti-Bullying Week. We hope that all the work being done in school this week and beyond will help equip our young people with essential skills to call out bullying wherever they may find it in their lives and support each other with kindness.”
