JAMIE'S STORY - Consequences
 

What would you like in your school to help it become bully free?

				We've got an anti-bullying policy at our school. It basically says what we think bullying is and how our school will deal with it. It's all written down so everyone knows what will happen if there's any bullying. The best thing about the policy is that me and some of the other kids helped write it. It was great, we actually sat with teachers and decided together what should be in it. We were told that our views were important, cos students were most likely to be the first to see bullying (and of course we're the ones who get bullied).

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	Quality circles are great. What happens is that a group of us get together each week and talk about problems that are happening at school. Then we then choose one of them and work together to find a solution to it. When the group has worked out a solution, we go to the head of year and tell her what we've come up with. Then she either helps us put our ideas into action, or maybe tells us why those ideas can't work and helps us think of others. I love the quality circle I'm in. It's not only helped me make new friends, but it gives me a chance to say what I think about stuff. I really feel like we are doing something to stop bullying. It's great as well cos we're telling teachers what we think should happen at school, rather than them always telling us!

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				I learnt about racist bullying in PSHE. We looked at this web site called BritKid which had a bunch of kids from different places talking about themselves. They talked about all sorts of things like what it was like to be called racist names and stuff. I learnt loads and our class didn't stop talking about it even after the bell went! We also had an assembly on bullying. I had to help out as part of my punishment for bullying Sarah, but actually it was really good. I wouldn't say I really enjoyed it, but I was glad I was involved.....

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	We did some role-play about bullying recently in drama class. After we talked about what it was like to be bullied and what it was like to be a bully, we had to act out bullying scenes. Each group had to do the same scene over and over again, but each time one person had to do something different to try and stop the bullying. It was excellent. I was the bully and of course the quickest way to stop the bullying from happening was if I didn't start it, but we also did scenes where I stopped myself bullying, right in the middle of doing it. Like in one scene, I just decided to go and talk to a teacher cos I knew what I was doing was wrong. So I just walked off. It was funny cos none of the kids expected me to do that!

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				I've shown bullies loads of times that I supported what they were doing, but I never called myself a bully. What I did was ignore what was going on in front of me, or laughed when someone else was getting hassle. I never went for help or told the bullies to stop what they were doing. I found out about this stuff in my drama class. After we discussed ways people encourage bullies without even thinking about it, we had to act out bullying scenes. I had to show the bully that I didn't agree with what he was doing. It was quite hard really, it's so much easier to shut up and walk away. But I don't want to be a bully. After that class I think I'd be able to really tell bullies that what they're doing is wrong.

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	Did you know that most bullying happens in places like the corridors, toilets and the field or playground? Also, it mostly happens at break times, lunch times and after school. The reason's obvious I suppose, there are hardly any staff around in those places or at those times, so bullies know there is less chance of them getting caught. I was beaten up on the field, and I couldn't see a teacher anywhere. Your school doesn't have to be like that, you can ask the staff to be around more. Some bullies can be put off just by teachers being there.

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				Since our school has sorted out our anti-bullying policy most of the teachers and other staff have gone on training days. They have learnt about bullying, how to stop it when it's started and how to stop it from happening in the first place. It makes it easier for the kid who's being bullied, cos now they know they can go to any teacher and get help. There's nothing worse than going to a teacher about being bullied and they say 'oh just keep away from them' or 'you're just being silly'. That doesn't happen at our school cos all the teachers know how serious bullying is and they now know what to do about it.

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	I've just started being a buddy to a girl in year 8. She's really nice but she hasn't been able to make many friends yet cos she's only been at the school a week. All we do is meet up and chat if she wants to. Say she's on her own at lunch time one day, then we'll have lunch together. You know, stuff like that. It just helps her settle into the school easier. Other people I know buddy kids who've been bullied, and I think it makes them feel safer, it makes then feel like they've always got someone on their side. I love being a buddy. I think if there were more buddies there would be fewer bullies.

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				We've got a school counsellor I go and see every week, well, actually it's every week now but when I first started seeing her I went twice a week. I hated going at first. I felt like I must be a crazy person to have to be there, but it ended up being no big deal. I just talk to her about stuff. I've told her stuff I've never told anybody before, but that's okay cos I don't think she'll tell anyone else. When I see her I don't feel so angry about things and she never tells me I'm out of order. She just listens to me and helps me see things in different ways, if you know what I mean?

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