Staff at Stonelaw High School in South Lanarkshire felt the pandemic had hurt relationships. Young people were showing disrespectful behaviours such as name-calling, gossip, and spreading rumours. Young people and their parents often struggled to understand the difference between bullying and difficult relationships. 

What the school did

Senior leaders have told stakeholders how bullying affects pupil wellbeing. They have also made clear the way it can affect their inclusion, participation, and attainment.  As a result, the school community has a shared understanding of the definition of bullying that promotes a sense of agency.

Involving young people

Senior leaders have prioritised the role of learners in creating an anti-bullying culture. When bullying is reported the young person is involved in recording this on the school’s management information system. Pupil support staff help them in defining the nature of the incident.

Staff investigate the incident and act, keeping the young person informed and checking in with them. Young people report that they appreciate having this sense of agency.

They have created a 'Choose Kind' group as part of their overall approach to wellbeing, equality, and inclusion. This group includes staff and young people from across the school. They help to create and keep a culture of positive relationships. Participants worked together to identify roles and responsibilities for stakeholders. These include:

• young people
• teachers
• pupil support
• senior leaders
• parents

Promoting positive relationships

Senior leaders reinforce strategies to promote positive relationships. These strategies are shared:

• in assemblies
• through posters
• in meetings
• through ’Choose Kind Matters’ updates

Arrangements are in place for pupil support staff to follow up on bullying. After resolving the bullying, they will engage in conversations with young people, parents, and carers. This allows them to check wellbeing and gather feedback. This is then considered at pupil support meetings.

Anti-bullying curriculum

Senior leaders have considered the role of the curriculum in addressing disrespectful behaviours.

In Personal and Social Education (PSE) lessons, young people use the 'respect me' guidance to talk about the impact of bullying. This encourages them to develop empathy and build positive relationships with their peers.

Pupil support staff use the same approach in dealing with young people alleged to have taken part in bullying behaviour. This helps to ensure positive and constructive relationships. They examine the impact of bullying actions on others and avoid using terms such as 'victims' and 'bullies'.  

In PSE, pupil support teachers deliver lessons on ‘Understanding the Difference’ where they discuss “is it bullying or something else?”. This helps young people understand behaviour and appropriate responses.

As part of this strategy, senior leaders have developed strong approaches to parent engagement. This ensures that they can challenge assumptions about bullying.  

Effective use of data

Senior leaders track and explore trends in bullying behaviour and use these to inform strategies. At the end of each term, they complete a detailed analysis that highlights incidents within set categories.

The data is discussed at Pupil Support Team departmental meetings where follow through actions are planned. 

The impact and what changed for young people

Young people have benefited from exploring the differences between conflict and bullying. They report an improved understanding of the distinction as a result.

Staff can plan specific interventions for cohorts who are finding things particularly difficult. For example, evidence showed significant and repeated conflict between young people in S1.

Pupil support staff worked with S1 focus groups to create a ‘how not to be a friend’ programme of PSE lessons. These looked at the basics of respect and how to treat and work with others even if you do not get along. As a result, reports of problems around relationships decreased.