PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Pupils: Bullying (8 July 2014)

The Government has made preventing and tackling bullying in primary and secondary schools one of its top priorities by striking a balance between schools' legal requirements, freedom and accountability.

All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying among pupils, including that which occurs online. Schools have the freedom to shape these measures in the context of their pupils' needs. They are held to account by Ofsted for their effectiveness in preventing bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Through the Education Act 2011, we strengthened teachers' powers to discipline pupils for poor behaviour, including bullying. They can now issue same day detentions, confiscate banned items and search for, and if necessary delete, inappropriate images on mobile phones which might be linked to cyberbullying. This advice was updated in February 2014 to make clear that tough but proportionate sanctions can be deployed to deal with misbehaviour, which includes bullying. It is published online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools

In 2011, the Government published streamlined advice for schools, reducing it from 481 pages to just 11 pages to make absolutely clear schools' legal obligations to prevent and tackle bullying, and clarify teachers' powers to discipline pupils for unacceptable behaviour. This advice is published online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying

In February 2014, we issued an online leaflet about schools' responsibilities to support children who are bullied. This contains advice that makes clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. This advice is also published online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying

To further support schools, in February 2014, the Department produced case studies showing good practice in how schools manage behaviour and bullying. The case studies give real life examples of what schools do to identify and respond to bullying. This is published online at:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/managing-behaviour-and-bullying-in-schools-case-studies

From September 2014, pupils in all four key stages will be taught about e-safety as part of the new curriculum. For the first time, schools will be legally required to teach
e-safety to pupils in infant and junior schools. This will empower all young people to tackle cyberbullying through responsible, respectful and secure use of technology.

We are also providing £4 million of funding over two years from spring 2013 to four organisations: Beatbullying, the Diana Award, Kidscape and the National Children's Bureau, to develop effective initiatives to prevent and tackle bullying.