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The Barney & Echo Action Against Bullying Project Award in association with Starshine Music
Winner: Kings Norton Primary School
“ABC – Anti-Bullying Campaign”
Headteacher: Lin Reilly
Sponsored by Barney & Echo
The Barney & Echo series of educational resources has been specifically designed to help primary school teachers address PSHE and citizenship topics. Featuring instructive tales set in Treetop Forest, the story books are punctuated by interactive activities and complemented by a range of posters, stickers and drama scripts.
Barney & Echo project manager Kelly Griffiths highlighted the importance of using education to address the problem of bullying. “It’s something we feel very strongly about at Barney & Echo,” she said, “and it’s a topic that features prominently in our books. That’s why we decided to sponsor this category and show our support for the great work being done in UK schools. We believe education is the key to defeating bullying.”
In association with Starshine Music
Starshine Music publishes high quality musicals and songs to inspire and motivate children. The musical, Bully!, with its supporting storybook, gives children the opportunity to explore bullying issues in a dramatic yet entertaining context.
Starshine Music – www.starshine.co.uk.
Jill Evans (centre) receives The Barney & Echo Action Against Bullying Project Award in association with Starshine Music from Ruth Kenward representing Starshine Music and Esther Rantzen CBE.
“Data from a training course on anti-bullying came as a shock to us,” explained Jill Evans. “We felt we should address this in our school and in consultation with the school council we then planned our approach.”
This approach was geared towards helping children develop respect for each other. There was also a focus on teaching children about personal space, positive relationships and other people’s feelings. The campaign looked to provide pupils with skills that could be used throughout their lives to solve problems they might encounter in the future.
As part of the campaign pupils took part in activities such as conflict resolution, which involved role play to help the children develop problem solving skills. Interactive games were beneficial as were discussions on issues where friendships break down and how best to mend those friendships.
There are now systems in place for children to raise worries or difficulties and they feel they can talk confidently about what happens in school and the difference it can make. Pupils are now committed to making the school a safer place and are better equipped to deal with difficult situations due to the skills they have gained as a result of the campaign.
Some children have also been able to access the school counsellor which has had an impact on their life at home with their families. There was also a better understanding gained by parents of how ensure the internet is used safely.
The campaign is now viewed by the school as less of a project and more a way of life.
Finalist
St George’s Church of England Primary School – High Peak, Derbyshire
Headteacher: Mr P Thomas
“Action Against Bullying
