Select Committee on Education and Skills Written Evidence


Memorandum submitted by National Association of Head Teachers

  The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Education & Skills Select Committee Inquiry on "the extent and nature of the problem of bullying in schools"; its effects on those involved and how it can best be tackled. With some 28,000 active members, heads, deputy heads and assistant heads in mainstream and special schools, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including non-maintained and independent special schools, as well as in the maintained sector, the Association is well placed to comment on aspects of bullying experienced in schools.

  We have addressed our response to each of the headings outlined in the terms of reference for the inquiry:

EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE PROBLEM

Definition of Bullying

  Bullying is wilful, or persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour; intentionally harmful, carried out by an individual or a group; an imbalance of power leaving the individual being bullied feeling defenceless. This definition of bullying can be extended to include cyber-bullying (see below).

  Bullying could be:

    —  Physical: extraction of property, pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching, any form of violence, or threatened violence.

    —  Verbal: insulting, name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing.

    —  Racist: racial taunts, graffiti, gestures.

    —  Sexual: unwanted physical contact, abusive comments.

  Cyber-bullying can be defined as an aggressive, intentional act, carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly and over time against a victim who can not easily defend him/herself. Cyber-bullying is a form of bullying which has in recent years become more apparent, as the use of electronic devices such as computers and mobiles phones by young people has increased. This can include bullying through text message, picture/video clip (via mobile phone cameras), phone call, email, chat-room, through instant messaging, bullying via websites.

Definition of Harassment

  Harassment can be defined as a malicious act of annoying and threatening an individual through various means, ie via text messages, emails, phone-calls, letters, notes with personal motives and reasons. Harassment is usually carried out by an individual who is close to the victim, but it could be an individual that is unknown to the victim. Harassment refers to a wide spectrum of offensive behaviour. It refers to behaviours that are found threatening, or disturbing and beyond those that are sanctioned by society. Only the more repetitive, persistent and untruthful types of speech qualify legally as harassment.

Extent and nature of the problem of bullying in schools

  A recent report published by Parentline Plus gave statistical evidence of calls to their helpline. Listed below is a snapshot extracted from their report detailing calls about bullying, made to the helpline between October and December 2005. The report details the type of bullying, the number of calls and percentage of the total calls:
—  Physical: 689  (6%);
—  Verbal: 971  (9%);
—  Perpetrator: 266  (3%);
—  Racial:   41  (0.4%);
—  Extortion:   19  (0.2%);
—  New School:   46  (0.4%)
—  Other:104  (1%).


The extent of homophobic and racist bullying

  The DfES survey (2002) illustrated that 82% of those teachers surveyed said they were aware of verbal incidents and 26% said they were aware of physical incidents of homophobic bullying.

  As an Association, we recognise the difficulties that schools face when attempting to tackle this area. However, it is essential that it is addressed within the primary and secondary sectors so that changes in society and its norms and expectations are reflected in the pupils' educational experiences. For example some children in our schools have same sex partners that have parental responsibility. Communities and schools are experiencing a cultural change. Schools need support and advice; guidance specific to homophobic bullying should be led by government proposals. This will then lead to a more universal approach throughout the various agencies working with children.

  School leaders may experience difficulties with some religious groups (within certain faith schools) and with some parental attitudes towards same sex relationships etc. It requires not only specific guidance but may mean a change in the school's approach to the issue of providing advice and training for their staff. This will include considerations regarding training on how to deal with sensitive issues and on how staff should address parents and children. Homophobic bullying can have a very serious impact on the child whether due to their own sexual orientation or that of parents and carers. The children concerned are frequently isolated; often they cannot talk to their parents/carers about the feelings they are experiencing, therefore, a teacher's reaction to their situation is crucial. This dictates a requirement for training, which can lead to resource issues for schools because of the existing excessive workload of the school leadership team and teaching staff.

The extent of racist bullying:

  Schools are mindful of the need to reduce bullying in schools as evidenced by research, for example, that commissioned by the DfES in England in 2002. Amongst the disturbing findings, it was reported that, in the sample of schools, 25% of the pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds attending predominantly white schools had experienced racist name-calling within the previous seven days. The research indicated recurrent influencing themes which indicated issues needing to be addressed.

  Other similar studies have indicated the level of bullying in schools, for example, a substantial study which was undertaken in Hampshire in 2005, involving a sample of more than 34,000 pupils. Our own members have also reported incidents of racist bullying. One interesting phenomenon is the use of racist language within bullying without the child concerned understanding the meaning of the words concerned—a direct reflection of society conditioning?

Incidence of Cyber-bullying

  An investigation into cyber-bullying was carried out by Unit for School and Family Studies, Goldsmith College, University of London. (Research Brief July 2006—questionnaire returned by 92 students aged between 11-16 years from 14 different London schools June/July 2005.) 20 students (22%) had been victims of cyber-bullying at least once, and 5 (6.6%) had experienced being cyber-bullied more frequently over the previous two months. Phone call, text messages and email were the most common forms, both inside and outside of school, while chat room bullying was least common. Prevalence rates of cyber-bullying were greater outside of school than inside.

  Schools endeavour to take action when matters of cyber-bullying are raised. Concerns over their child's safety have led many parents to sanction and provide mobile phones to their children, leading to a huge increase in pupils carrying mobile phones. Ironically, this concern over safety has led to problems for other pupils who now have to deal with a corresponding increase in cyber-bullying.

Age and gender

  The research referred to above indicated that there were no significant differences with regard to cyber-bullying related simply to age. Girls were significantly more likely to be cyber-bullied, especially by text messages and phone calls, more than boys. A significant interaction between age and gender was found in relation to the effects of email bullying and the use of instant messaging which showed contrasting opinions between boys of different age groups. How schools and others address this difference needs to be given detailed consideration.

The nature of cyber-bullying

  Most cyber-bullying is reported as coming from one or a few students, in the same class or year group and, in general, lasts only a week or so. Some lasts much longer, especially phone call bullying. However, even over a short time span, bullying can have devastating effects and the victims need support. One of the difficulties schools encounter in providing such support is that a substantial minority (around one-third) of victims have told nobody about it.

Views on school banning mobile phones or private internet use

  Most pupils consulted as part of the research thought that banning mobile phones would result in pupils using them secretly and also that restricting private internet use in school could not prevent such forms of cyber-bullying outside schools. Given that parental concerns re safety has undoubtedly led to the provision of mobile phones, schools are unlikely to get parental support in banning mobile phones. It is also true that the practicalities of restricting personal internet use in school are difficult—e-communication is accepted and encouraged practice to assist with learning. To "police" such access and attempt to prevent its abuse has resource as well as practical implications for schools.

Why some pupils become bullies and why some pupils are bullied

  It should not be forgotten that it is not the school, but society and the disposition of pupils that creates the bully. Schools are the agents that try to tackle the issues which cause children to become bullies. In general, schools are moral institutions which encourage pupils to understand both their rights and responsibilities within society. Schools do not set out to encourage bullying!

  The research evidences that it is more often children with behavioural problems who are likely to bully others. Various studies have indicated that the incidence of bullying is higher among pupils with emotional behavioural or learning difficulties. Of course, schools are, quite rightly, constrained by the Disability Discrimination Act (1995 and 2005). As such, they are required to make reasonable adjustments in the implementation of sanctions detailed in their discipline policies, where it is a symptom of the child's disability. This can bring its own difficulties as parents of pupils who are victims of such bullying rarely comprehend that the bullying may be a symptom of the perpetrator's needs. All that they see, understandably, is that their child is being bullied. Handling such matters sensitively, requires great skill on the part of the school leader.

  Family factors also seem to be of major significance in the development of the personality of children who are bullies or victims of bullying. However, statistics vary, for example, Mitchel and O'Moore found that 70% of the bullies they studied had problematic family backgrounds, while Stephenson and Smith research stated that just one third of those involved in bullying, both victims and bullies, had difficult family backgrounds.

  The Association would wish to emphasise that it is often the bullying attitude of parents towards school staff that not only projects a role model for their children, but such attitudes also perpetrate an ongoing cycle of unacceptable behaviour. It is also the case that parents will not acknowledge that their child is involved in or directly bullying another pupil and, by taking this oppositional stance, the parents empower their children to continue their aggression.

  The evidence suggests that some children do have a more positive attitude to the use of aggression and the following factors have been isolated as being significant in bullying behaviour:

    —  A negative attitude between parent and child, especially mother and son.

    —  Over-punitive physical discipline, or inconsistent and lax control.

    —  The use of physical aggression where this is seen as socially acceptable.

    —  The temperament of the child.

  Research has also evidenced that generally aggression occurs as a reaction to aggression, but there is a tendency among the human species to practise aggression where there is no fear of retaliation. (Mosher, Mortimer and Brebel).

  When schools implement an exclusion (as a sanction and to protect and provide respite for the victim) where bullying is evidenced, it is often the case that the school is taken to task by both local authority officers and the bully's parents. It needs to be recognised that these tensions exist. The emphasis is on avoiding exclusion to ensure continuity of education within the school, regardless of the bully's unacceptable behaviour towards the victim and the victim's ongoing anxiety and feelings of being unsafe when within proximity of the bully.

  Included below are descriptors from research of both victims and bullies:

    —  Passive victims (ineffectual in the face of attack).

    —  A significant number have coordination problems.

    —  Provocative victims (intentionally provoke the antagonism).

    —  Some children take the role of victim to gain acceptance (colluding).

    —  Children bullied at home often bully at school.

    —  Anxious bullies appear to have difficulties (home or education failure).

    —  The traditional bully: described as having a positive attitude toward aggression and enjoying conflict.

    —  Victims are often over-protected by parents.

    —  Bullies frequently have aggressive dominant parents.

  Physical characteristics can act as a trigger for victimisation; this can include disability, difference of race, culture, sex and sexual orientation.

THE SHORT AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS (CONTRIBUTING FACTORS)

  It is the society and the direct environment in which children develop that influences and determines the extent of bullying within schools and society in general. This includes the problems that children experience; sometimes inappropriate parenting, or lack of time to parent, perhaps because of more "one parent families"—that one parent has to cope with the demands of a family and of working full-time. School leaders are concerned that the lack of good parenting skills and lack of parental time has serious implications for some children. The dichotomy that exists whereby parents are encouraged to return to work much earlier (additional childcare arrangements, financial pressures etc) yet need to be offered parenting skills classes is one which cannot be ignored.

  Some children now attend "breakfast clubs", cope with a full school day and follow this with an "after school club". Unfortunately, they see very little of their parents—a structured day does not necessarily replace "quality parental time". There are also those children that lack a loving, caring home environment.

  Sometimes problems manifest in children when they cannot cope with the demands of the curriculum. They may feel that they have failed and, consequently, lose their self-esteem, becoming angry and aggressive. Teachers need the training and the time to develop a diverse curriculum and extend the personalised learning agenda. This needs to be tackled in other ways, so that a child can fulfil his/her potential to contribute, enabling him/her to succeed. The Association sees the move towards the agenda expressed in the Every Child Matters White Paper as a very positive move in this regard.

  School leaders are very aware that they need to tackle bullying. Indeed, it is statutory for all schools to have anti-bullying policies and there has been an ongoing drive by the DfES and the Anti-Bullying Alliance to raise the profile. Schools need to ensure that their policies are reviewed and amended through the contribution of pupils, families and school staff. Many are trying to ensure effective involvement of parents and carers in the development of school policies so that there is a fuller understanding of the school's aims and ethos. This in turn should lead to deeper involvement and understanding across the school community.

  Bullying is an insidious social problem. The role of the school leader is to ensure that structures and procedures are embedded in the school's policies and that the school ethos is aimed at limiting the amount of bullying that occurs within the school and local community. It is unrealistic to say that there will ever be a time that bullying within schools has been eradicated until and unless it is eradicated throughout society.

  From the pupil's view, bullying impacts on their self-esteem when ridiculed and persecuted by others, and at the extreme end, can lead to self-harm and even suicide attempts. Research confirms the destructive effect of bullying on young people's lives. It can lead to serious or prolonged distress and long-term damage to their social and emotional development. At a far more mundane level, it also has a significant impact on a school's exam results, attendance figures and truancy rates.

TACKLING THE PROBLEM

  School discipline is paramount because behaviour and discipline are linked; pupils need to know that if they breach school rules sanctions will follow. Children should initially be taught what the school's expectations are—that pupils must support the ethos of the school and to learn to respect each other.

  Anti-bullying policies are working documents and policies need to be reviewed with the contribution of the whole school because it helps to raise continually the profile and to re-emphasize that the schools will continue to address any incidents of bullying.

  Intervention Strategies include:

    —  The moralistic approach (conforms to values of the school: write an apology and speak to the parents).

    —  The legalistic approach (the sanctions that will be implemented).

    —  The humanistic approach (inviting the bully to cooperate in bringing about mutually desired change).

  Schools tend to use a mixture of all three approaches when developing and enacting their policies.

  Good practice dictates the need to engage a student, who bullies in order to identify the skills a student may need to be motivated to stop bullying. It is essential to find new ways of influencing pupils to encourage them to change their ways, to acknowledge the harm that bullying causes to other more vulnerable children; to seek an activity that sustains their interest and one that helps to channel their aggression.

Inducing concern and responsibility:

  What influences the bully to continue bullying is often a lack of concerns for others. Some interesting research was undertaken in South Australia by Alan Jenkins (1990). He was engaged in the treatment of violent offenders to whom he offered "an invitation to responsibility". He asks them to appreciate how these people, the victims, must feel when they are abused. Approaches to bullying in school have much in common with the "Jenkins' invitation". Barbara Maines and George Robinson in England have developed a "No Blame Approach" and Anatol Pikas in Sweden proposed his "Method of Shared Concern", though it needs to be stated that there are advocates both for and against these approaches.

Involving and Empowering Pupils:

  Good practice dictates that peer involvement in prevention and response to bullying, and the drive for involving children, forms a natural part of a school in which children are invited to contribute to decisions at a variety of levels including teaching and learning issues and policy formulation. However, ultimately responsibility rests with staff because pupils can only become active participants in supporting anti-bullying policies if they are allowed to do so. They are therefore reliant on adults for training, monitoring and most likely their success or otherwise.

  Most school leaders believe that preventing bullying in school is about whole school and classroom culture to celebrate individuality, difference and the unusual, in order to avoid those that are vulnerable being singled out.

Suggestions for Good Practice:

  Schools have found that the following suggestions have helped in combating bullying:

    —  Act early—this prevents a single action turning into a relationship based on bullying;

    —  Make sure that all know the anti-bullying policy is reviewed regularly;

    —  Keep written records of observations, meetings and actions taken in line with national and local authority advice;

    —  Take bullying seriously as it is about the climate in which all learn;

    —  Hold awareness-raising assemblies and lessons within the school community and feeder schools;

    —  Become familiar with variety of processes, strategies, skills and the philosophy that underpins them;

    —  Explore alternatives to punishment because it can be counter-productive for those regularly punished;

    —  Get away from the bully-victim model;

    —  Powerful forces for change are the "bystanders" since they provide the audience

    —  Gather information through research (get pupils to do it); and

    —  Systems of rewards as well as punishments to encourage children in order to recognise that they are doing their best in contributing to the life and ethos of the school.

  It is worth recording that there is already a lot of good practice going on in schools. Many schools support and participate in the annual Anti-Bullying weeks held during November, but the work that the school does, led by school leaders, is always ongoing as cohorts and society continues to change.

  Schools may wish to record and monitor bullying incidents by category; this would be informative for the school and would support school self-evaluation to analyse, to identify any trends and to adapt policies to address local need. This would then feed into the school's Ofsted inspection information and its development planning. Of course, efficient and effective monitoring will add to the workload of school staff. However, such statistics could ultimately contribute to providing clear evidence of how endemic bullying is within schools, in answer to any future inquiry. Consideration will need to be given to school resources, staff workload and guidance.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE INQUIRY

  As stakeholders, the NAHT welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee Inquiry on bullying. We are members of the Anti-bullying Alliance; we also participate in working with various DfES steering groups, addressing the issues around bullying in schools. The Association endorsed the DfES Anti-bullying Charter and the latest DfES guidance on Preventing Racist Bullying.

  We have also recently been asked to support the work of EACH and Stonewall, contributing to the new DfES guidance on preventing Homophobic Bullying; this has involved attending the reference group meeting and ongoing consultation meetings. We look forward to having early sight of the draft guidance so that we can provide our formal endorsement to the guidance when it is finally launched. We can then disseminate this information to our members. The Association and its members are truly focused on reducing bullying in schools and addressing anti-social behaviour within local communities.

  We would be happy to further contribute to the work of the Select Committee in their investigative inquiry and would appreciate the opportunity to discuss further the issues raised in this submission.

3 October 2006





 
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