The Welsh Assembly last week published a guidance document on combating bullying called Respecting Others. At its launch, Welsh education minister Jane Davidson said that a crucial strand of the guidance was the development of whole-school policies drawn up after detailed consultation.
School councils, which each school in Wales must have by next September, could act as a key forum for consulting pupils.
The guidance outlines the legal responsibilities of schools, the role of local education authorities and how to develop an anti-bullying policy. It says, 'Where a raft of preventive measures are adopted and a climate of positive concern is promoted, bullying can be greatly reduced, although never completely eliminated. Schools will also need to have a reactive policy in place, which should be clear, effective and well-publicised.'
Although the main focus of the guidance is on bullying between pupils, it says a whole-school approach is needed to recognise that bullying could also involve staff, parents and school management. It suggests a working party comprising family members, governors, lunchtime supervisors, community police officers, educational psychologists, school counsellors, nurses and social workers could help to formulate a draft anti-bullying policy.
Ms Davidson added that tackling bullying was not only for schools to do in isolation.
'Forging solid links with external partners, such as social services and health professionals, will be a crucial element in ensuring that pupils get the support they need at an early stage to enable them to learn in a positive environment,' she said.
The guidance outlines areas for a school policy to cover, including a definition of bullying, aims and objectives, preventive measures, intervention techniques, curriculum support, and procedures for reporting bullying.
Respecting Others can be seen on the website www.learning.wales.gov.uk.