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%).
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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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