Schools across East Lothian are marking Anti-Bullying Week 2021 to help children and young people feel happy, safe and included.
Anti-Bullying Week is a nationally recognised initiative from the Anti-Bullying Alliance that will take place from 15-19 November 2021. This year’s theme is ‘One Kind Word’, asking people to think about ways we can make a difference for those around us as well as ourselves.
The week starts with Odd Sock Day (Monday 15 November) where people of all ages celebrate difference. It’s an easy and cost-free way to encourage open conversations about our uniqueness and the things that unite us. Special assemblies will consider the themes of the week and how they apply to relationships and behaviours.
Ahead of the week schools had been invited to take part in a competition to win £200 for their community by putting forward ideas for projects that would help pupils create positive environments. This could be a buddy bench or a project to help with transitions between school stages such as P7 to S1. Over 100 entries were received which represents the voices of hundreds of children and young people - many of the entries were from whole classes or even whole schools. The winning projects will be announced later this week.
Education Support Officer Abby Ingham believes that the week provides a vital focus for ongoing work throughout the year. “We want to make sure our schools are environments where every pupil is valued and differences are accepted and celebrated; where children and young people are secure and can flourish; where their voices are listened to and their ideas taken seriously,” she says. “Anti-Bullying Week is an important focus of this activity however it is ongoing process throughout the year and across all of our schools. As well as the work that we do in schools through our Anti-Bullying policies we work with specialist organisations including Show Racism the Red Card and listen to our staff, children and young people. Working together we can make sure that all of our learners feel happy, safe and included in our schools.”
Follow schools' activities online on social media throughout Anti-Bullying Week.
Find out about Scotland's anti-bullying organisation Respect Me