Changing schools used to be a rarity when we were students. Nowadays it seems it has become not only extremely common, but in many cases a survival technique:
Thousands of parents are taking their children out of schools because of severe bullying, a Mail on Sunday investigation has found.
More than 2,000 parents who applied to transfer their children to new schools in just 28 local authority areas in the last school year gave bullying as the reason. The figures would rise to 12,000 if extrapolated across the UK.
The findings have dismayed school heads and campaigners. Charities blame 40 per cent of suicides among 11 to 14-year-olds on bullying.
The new figures were compiled from freedom of information requests to 150 local authorities for a breakdown of the reasons parents gave on ‘in year application forms’ for wanting to move their child during the school year.
North East Lincolnshire said 173 applications out of 2,217 cited bullying, while in Essex it was 444 out of 12,695 and in Nottingham 131 out of 3,424.
If this were replicated across the country, about 12,000 parents applied to move their children for that reason during the past school year.
Schools must work on bully proofing their environment as quickly as possible. Instead of waiting for the problem to arise they must offer an environment that acts as a disincentive for negative behaviours. They must offer alternatives to bullying by teaching good communication skills, anger management methods, problem solving tips and ensuring that its teachers are eager to help their students sort through problems that may arise.
The following series of films is sure to help achieve these goals.
Tags: 40 per cent of suicides among 11 to 14-year-olds on bullying, applied to transfer their children to new schools, Bullying, bullying as the reason for changing schools, Bystanders - How to UnMake A Bully, Education, How to UnMake a Bully, taking their children out of schools because of severe bullying
Topical Teaching 
November 4, 2013 at 5:09 am |
Bullying among students will never be effectively eliminated as long as a culture of bullying exists at management level. In some education jurisdictions bullying is embedded in the water supply. How serious can education authorities be about bullying among students when they rely on that very strategy to manage and control their teachers?
November 4, 2013 at 6:50 pm |
And the students are fully aware of the bullying that goes on between staff members. Very good point John!
November 4, 2013 at 6:25 pm |
Thinking about the bullies… Do kids ‘learn’ how to bully, or is it an innate ‘skill’? I’m thinking if we are to wipe out bullying, we need to start with the cause. Basically, why are bullies, bullies? After we answer that question, we can start on solving the issue.
November 4, 2013 at 6:27 pm |
Well said Teachling! The first of the three movies posted examines that very idea.