Our school is celebrating gaining Anti-Bullying Accreditation.

Vicky Wilkinson, Learning Support Unit Manager, Charlene Bainbridge, Senior Learning Mentor, and two Year 11 peer mentors, Zoe Featenby, and Adam Dobinson, were presented with a certificate, by children’s champion, Esther Rantzen of ChildLine, at an awards ceremony at Durham County Hall on Monday, September 11.

Mrs Wilkinson said:

We are over the moon to be awarded Anti-Bullying Accreditation. It was quite a challenge. We needed to fulfil set criteria and submit a portfolio to show we have an effective anti-bullying policy.

The portfolio was submitted to the Anti-Bullying Service and considered by a multi-agency panel to ensure the requirements were met. An inspection was then carried out at the school, by Vicki Cheetham and Alex Morris, from the Anti-Bullying service, who talked to staff and students.

“They were very impressed and said we had excellent practice,” said Mrs Wilkinson who praised Adam and Zoe for their involvement.

“They were a big part of the process”, said Mrs Wilkinson who added: “We are the first secondary school in the Bishop Auckland cluster to gain this.”.

The Anti-Bullying Accreditation has been pioneered by Durham County Council, in association with ChildLine and the NSPCC

Esther Rantzen also launched Durham County Council’s new anti-bullying policy which has been revised to include all new forms of “technology bullying” such as email and mobile phone.

The Anti-Bullying Accreditation is awarded annually to ensure schools maintain a consistent approach. The award has proved so successful that it has been adopted by other local authorities. Fifteen authorities in the South West and North East of England have been trained by the county’s Anti-Bullying Service.