Penketh High School gets tough on cyber bullies (From Warrington Guardian)

Penketh High School gets tough on cyber bullies

1:40pm Sunday 29th November 2009 in News By Miranda Newey

A ZERO tolerance approach to abuse has been the theme of an anti-bullying week at Penketh High School.

The action-packed schedule of performances, police talks and surveys to see how staff at the school on Heath Road, Penketh, can improve support, have all been included in the lessons held to quash and prevent bullying.

Alison McLeod, assistant head teacher, said: “The reason why we held the week is because we know bullying goes on everywhere and we don’t want to ignore it if it is an issue.”

A questionnaire was given to between 30 and 50 children in each year group and students were asked confidentially about their experiences of bullying.

Jack Gilbertson, aged 14, a year 10 pupil, said: “We found there were a few year 10 boys who said they had been a victim of abuse but they didn’t think it was a problem.”

Fifteen-year-old Sam Neil said most pupils said they told a friend or parent if they had concerns before approaching the school.

Results from the survey will be taken on board by the school’s anti-bullying governors and implemented into its policy.

Pupils have been trained at the Peace Centre by Alison O’Brien, Anti-bulling Alliance representative for the north west, to become mentors for year seven children.

The system has been running at the school for a few years and gives reassurance to young people who may be struggling to adapt to high school or who have a problem that they do not want to tell to a teacher.

Carl Stenson, aged 12, said: “We want to help them rather than have them go home and take it out on their parents or a little brother.”

A presentation by Nici Lewis, police school liaison officer and CSO Darren Samuel, Warrington West NPU, showed a video of a boy being cyber bullied and told people in that situation how to get help.

Mrs McLeod said: “We investigate any bullying complaints from the internet. We feel it is really important that the kids are happy in school. If it is really serious we would invite the parents into school.”

She said that the school is able to suggest internet bans for parents to give to the children to prevent the behaviour.

Chloe Green, aged 11, said year seven pupils watched a play about a girl who was being cyber bullied and learnt not to seek revenge but to tell a parent or a teacher.

Warrington Borough Council helped to fund some of the activities.

Education against the form of abuse will continue throughout the year and will involve display work showing to help children know who to turn to and the consequences of bullying.