It is essential that the whole school community understands what cyberbullying is, what measures are in place to prevent it and, if it does take place, what action should be taken.
Did you know?
Only 24 per cent of 11-19 year olds who have been cyberbullied told a parent. 14 per cent told a teacher, 28 per cent did not tell anyone and 41 per cent told a friend (Source: NCH/Tesco Mobile, 2005)
You should work with your students to gain an understanding of the main issues. This quiz on the need2know website might be a useful starting point for your discussion
You can also use this website to stay up-to-date on new technologies and their potential for bullying.
But, most importantly, your school should provide detailed guidance on cyberbullying.
The Department for Education recommends that schools focus on five key areas when devising and implementing their anti-bullying strategy:
- Understand and talk about bullying with the whole school community.
- Update policies and practices so that they take account of cyberbullying - this will include your Acceptable Use Policy for ICT equipment at school.
- Make it easy for students and teachers to report cyberbullying incidents.
- Promote the positive use of technology - make the most of opportunities in the curriculum (eg PSHE and Citizenship classes) and support nationwide campaigns such as Anti-Bullying Week.
- Evaluate the impact - as the digital landscape changes so fast, make sure that you measure the success of your strategy and update policies regularly.
You can find full details of these five areas in the DfE's Cyberbullying Guidance.
Click here for our tips on dealing with cyberbullying among young people.
Cyberbullying also affects teachers and other school staff. If you are experiencing harassment over the internet or your mobile, visit the Teacher Advice section of Teachtoday and read the Department for Education's guidance document ‘Cyberbullying: Supporting School Staff' .