Anti-Bullying at Durrington High School

At Durrington High School, we believe that every student has the right to feel safe, valued and respected. Anti-bullying is a core priority and sits at the heart of our values of kindness, pride and community. We are committed to creating a culture where students feel confident to speak up, know they will be listened to, and understand that concerns will always be taken seriously.

Over recent years, we have significantly strengthened our whole-school approach to anti-bullying. Through staff training, student leadership, preventative education and strong pastoral support, we continue to develop a culture where everyone plays a part in creating a safe and inclusive environment.

Our Approach

Our anti-bullying strategy is built around prevention, education and support.

We work proactively to raise awareness and equip students with the knowledge and confidence to challenge bullying behaviours through:

Whole-school assemblies and Anti-Bullying Week activities.
P1 Behaviour Curriculum lessons and SME curriculum opportunities.
Tutor-time activities and our Trusted Adult programme.
External speakers and awareness campaigns.
Partnerships with organisations including the Anti-Bullying Alliance, social workers, police and other specialist agencies.

Alongside this, all staff receive anti-bullying training and work within clear safeguarding and behaviour systems to ensure concerns are identified, recorded and acted upon quickly and effectively.

Student Leadership

One of the greatest strengths of our anti-bullying programme is our growing team of Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.

Our ambassadors are specially trained students who act as positive role models across the school. They help to raise awareness, promote kindness, support their peers and encourage students to report concerns.

The programme continues to grow each year and we now have over 150 students as anti-bullying ambassadors at Durrington.

As one of our ambassadors, Jaden in Year 10, explains:

“I like representing the school in a role where you are nice and kind to others. Sometimes people aren’t like that, and that’s what I do – I stop rude stuff from happening, and I love that.”

Jasmine in Year 9 says:

“I love being an Anti-Bullying Ambassador. Helping others in the school really helps me to feel good about what I am achieving.”

Making a Difference Beyond School

At Durrington, we believe that kindness extends beyond the classroom.

Recently, our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors led a whole-school clothing collection in support of West Sussex Mind’s inaugural Kilo Sale. Supported by students, staff and families, the school community donated an incredible 467kg of high-quality pre-loved clothing in just two weeks.

The campaign is expected to raise approximately £9,340 for local mental health services, highlighting the strong connection between promoting kindness, tackling bullying and supporting wellbeing.

This project demonstrated the compassion, leadership and community spirit that our students show every day and reflects our belief that positive action can make a real difference to the lives of others.

Listening to Student Voice

We regularly seek feedback from students to ensure our anti-bullying work continues to develop.

A student voice panel found that:

93% reported feeling safe in school.
100% understood the difference between bullying and banter.
85% knew how and where to report concerns.
80% said they rarely or never witnessed bullying.
85% felt sanctions for bullying are fair and consistent.
86% agreed that discriminatory language is challenged effectively by staff.

Students highlighted strong staff presence, visible support from House Teams, assemblies and prompt responses to concerns as key strengths of the school’s approach.

Reporting Bullying

We encourage all students to speak up if they experience or witness bullying. Reporting concerns helps us provide support and prevent further harm.

Students can report concerns by:

Speaking to a trusted adult, such as a form tutor, class teacher, pastoral manager or House Team member.
Talking to an Anti-Bullying Ambassador, identified by their red badge.
Speaking to a member of the Senior Student Leadership Team.
Asking a friend to share their concern with a member of staff.
Emailing ABC@durring.com.
Leaving a note in the anti-bullying postbox outside the LRA.

Every concern is taken seriously and investigated sensitively. Staff work closely with students and families to ensure appropriate support and action are provided.

Looking Ahead

We are extremely proud of the progress we have made in raising the profile of anti-bullying across Durrington High School. However, we recognise that this is an ongoing journey, and we are committed to continually reviewing and strengthening our provision.

We will continue to expand our Anti-Bullying Ambassador programme, develop student leadership opportunities and work alongside families and external partners to ensure Durrington High School remains a safe, inclusive and happy place where every student can thrive.

Mr Poole
Anti-Bullying Lead