The kids are all write: We need stricter bullying policies

I don’t agree with my school’s bullying policy. In my experience, it hasn’t made a difference to help children who are getting bullied that I know of. Eight out of ten people I asked in a class poll agreed that not enough is being done with the problem of bullying in school. One person in my group had to leave her school after experiencing bullying for three years and no one did anything about it.

My own school has seven different points to their anti-bullying policy. These points cover: taking bullying seriously; reporting it to a member of staff; all teachers encouraging children to report any bullying that they have witnessed; every student should stay safe from physical and emotional harm.

I experienced bullying recently and I told many members of staff at the school. Unfortunately, they have not been doing anything except having an interview with the bully. It didn’t really change anything. Eventually, the bully and I sorted it out between us. The school did not really help in this matter.

Many children come home feeling depressed from being bullied

So what could the school do more of? I think the school should have given out a harder punishment because a lot of people have reported this particular bully in many cases. The punishments that should be handed out are longer detentions and isolation from other students. Depending on what bullies have done, the punishments should fit the level of harassment. The school needs to take every situation seriously and even excluding the bully from the school if necessary.

People who have disagreed with my statement have said that not every bully is going to listen to what the teachers are saying and they just won’t stop. Other people have said that they are doing a lot more now than they used to. I recognise that my own school does have seven points to their anti-bullying policy: however, I still don’t think they are doing enough outside of this written policy.

I think that if the teachers stick to harder punishments then the bullies may stop and think about their actions and they will stop. Therefore, I think schools should do more about bullying so children are cared for fairly. Many children come home feeling depressed from being bullied, surely this is something we need to wake up to.

Nine students from Portslade Aldridge Community Academy have been writing their own articles about something that matters to them, as part of Little Green Pig’s weekly after-school Tuesday club. For more info about the projects being set up for young writers across the city, go to littlegreenpig.org.uk