Gloucestershire schools in fight against bullies

THE fight against bullies in Gloucestershire was given official recognition yesterday as schools picked up awards for their work to combat the abuse.

Pupils joined teachers, governors and education workers to celebrate the work done to raise awareness of bullying.

The event, at Brickhampton Court Golf Complex in Churchdown, was also aimed at encouraging children to speak up about their experiences.

Five schools picked up the anti-bullying accreditation. Those honoured were Beaufort Community School, Tuffley, Sir William Romney's School in Tetbury, The Cotswold School, Chipping Campden and Tewkesbury School.

The accreditation is only in its third year and this latest crop brings the total of schools with it to 10.

Members of the Youth Parliament spoke about their charter on anti-bullying and pupils read poems on the issue.

The Milestone Special School, Longlevens, also did a presentation.

Tom McGuinness, of Beaufort, said his school has a blog for students to talk about bullying worries and it also has a mentoring scheme for younger pupils.

Gloucestershire County Council's director of learning and development, Jo Grills said: "We have got real commitment and an ethos where young people will be able to speak out when they are being bullied and this will be taken seriously. We need to create schools and a society where people feel they can tell people about it."