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This year’s theme for anti-bullying week is ‘Power for Good’. It’s all about being empowered to do something good to tackle bullying.
As a school, there’s a lot you can do to create a kind, inclusive and tolerant space for everyone. For a start, you can use your learning environment to offer visual prompts that reinforce this. Positive images and messages can create a sense of belonging and instill kindness in all pupils.
Here are a few ways to create a kind learning environment where all are welcome.
Your values are the foundation of all you do as a school. They have the power to inspire and uplift pupils, and reinforce what’s expected of everyone in the school community. So, it’s worth making your values as visible and accessible as possible. One way to do this is by sharing your values visually at key touchpoints of your school.
For example; a values display in your school entrance or reception area will immediately set a positive tone. Values tend to include words like ‘kindness‘, ‘tolerance‘, ‘respect‘ and ‘safety‘. Pupils who embody these values will naturally be kind and empathetic towards their peers.
You can even involve your pupils in sharing your values, with workshops and competitions. For example; Downside Primary School ran a values competition.
“The re branding was linked to a whole school review of our values. We worked with the children and the whole school community to identify the key values for our school.
Children were then asked to draw a picture representing what that value meant to them. The results were amazing, which is why we invested in an artist to bring their designs to life! Our values are discussed every day and ensure our school is a kind, caring community.” – Karen Hooker, Headteacher, Downside Primary School
Team spirit, resilience and aspiration. These are all pillars of sport and are often reflected in the people who take part. For this reason, many schools feature sports heroes on their walls to represent the spirit of teamwork and cooperation.
It’s very important in these displays to showcase people from a diverse range of cultures, ethnicities and abilities. This makes all pupils feel included and shows that individuals from all backgrounds can work together as a team. Your school hall is a great location for a sports display.
Pupils can reflect on what it takes to become successful like their heroes – and how to remain kind and grounded in the process. This is a powerful way to empower pupils and reflects the theme of anti-bullying week; ‘Power for Good’.
Many schools have installed Buddy Benches or friendship rooms to encourage pupils to support their peers. And this reinforces the spirit of kindness that can create a positive learning environment where all pupils feel happy and safe.
Happy schools produce happy pupils, so wellbeing is a critical factor in creating a safe and inclusive culture. Some schools are investing in Wellbeing walls for their corridors, stairwells and communal areas. These can include positive messages and uplifting imagery that will instantly make pupils feel calm, happy and at ease.
We can include some motivational quotes within your Wellbeing walls. And steps about how to feel better through being kind to others and offering to help.
Schools can be a wonderful melting pot of cultures, religions and traditions. But sadly, some pupils may be targeted on the basis of their background or beliefs, which can lead to bullying.
You can use visual displays to celebrate the many religions and cultures that make up your community. For example; Torquay Academy installed a Wall Art design that features religious festivals from around the world. This showcases the diverse range of beliefs and cultures and helps pupils understand what makes each of them unique and positive.
John Peryn Primary School celebrated their pupils’ migration stories on their walls. They used a large, colourful world map and flags to represent the many countries that make up our planet. Then, they featured pupils whose families had moved to the UK from elsewhere.
This is a positive celebration of cultures and helps build a positive and inclusive view of migration. So all pupils will feel a sense of belonging and understand the true value of shared communities.
Woolwich Polytechnic School invested in a Diversity based Wall Art design. They were keen to promote diversity in all its forms and encourage pupils to practice kindness. The design includes an inspiring message about the power of diversity. And tips on how to spread kindness; through volunteering, being grateful and sharing compliments.
It’s a powerful design – one that is bold and designed to spark action. The rainbow coloured palette immediately inspires positivity and hope. Motivational quotes reinforce the message and a section titled, ‘Change your mindset’ gives actionable advice about how to develop a growth mindset.
The overall impact of the design is dynamic, exciting and uplifting. And it’s sure to help the school build a positive and tolerant environment for all pupils.
Democracy, Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, Mutual Respect and Tolerance. These are the Government’s five principles that make up British Values.
You can tie these into your school’s own values to show how they work together to build an inclusive environment. Or feature them in a standalone tribute to British Values.
However you choose to represent them, sharing British Values reminds pupils that they have an obligation to practice these principles. This is a powerful message that’s bound to spark conversation and contemplation. Pupils can discuss what they can see and understand why these points are so key to building a tolerant Britain for all.
Pupils can take these values with them beyond school. So they will become kind and responsible citizens of the world.
The Anti-Bullying Alliance offers teaching resources and assemblies, which are free to download and use.
These focus on how we can actively use our Power for Good, and what we can all do to stop bullying.
They say; “Every year, bullying impacts the lives of countless young people and silence helps it grow. That’s why, this Anti-Bullying Week, we’re empowering young people to use their Power for Good to safely speak up and raise awareness when they see bullying, face to face or online. Lasting change needs all of us. From playgrounds to parliament, our homes to our phones — we all have a part to play. Together, we can use our Power for Good to end bullying — for good.”
(Source: Anti-Bullying Alliance)
At Promote Your School we create bespoke Wall Art for schools around the world. We have over twenty years’ experience in education and design. And we’ve honed our design process so it’s seamless and ensures you get the end result you want!
Our service includes design, print and installation. And we’ll support you at every step of the process.
Get in touch to find out more and book a free, no obligation consultation.
We’ll visit your school to understand your goals, explain our process and provide you with a no-obligation quote.
