Bexhill High in anti-bullying pilot project

Primary, secondary and special schools have been selected to be part of a two-year pilot that will look at how peer mentoring can contribute to tackling bullying in schools.

The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation which is managing the DCSF-funded pilot, will launch the programme on Thursday with the first of four regional training events for the participating schools.

Following the training day, more than 30 Peer Mentors will be recruited at Bexhill High to work with fellow students, helping them to understand the impact of their actions and words on others and encouraging them to become active citizens in the school community.

The Anti-Bullying Peer Mentors will be a strong and visible presence in the school, promoting their message of support through workshops, assemblies, role-plays, student-written resources, display boards, open-days, drop-in centres and creative marketing campaigns as well as playing a central role in whole-school training days (for staff, pupils and parents)

While many schools in England already have effective peer mentoring and anti-bullying programmes in place, the pilot will support the introduction of peer mentoring models into the wider anti-bullying plan of Bexhill High whilst also establishing links to enhance initiatives such as SEAL and the Healthy Schools Programme.