By Caroline Ivison

Last updated at 12:18, Wednesday, 31 October 2012

A school has achieved a national award that recognises its work to combat bullying.

Beckstone Primary School in Harrington, near Workington, has gained the Bullying Intervention Group Award.

The school applied for the award in December and has since fulfilled criteria including having a robust anti-bullying policy, regular staff training, a pupil peer support and monitoring system and regular awareness raising activities.

It also set up a bullying intervention focus group of staff, governors, parents and children.

Michelle Pike, reception teacher and personal, health and social education and citizenship co-ordinator, said: “A lot of the things we had to include for the award were things we already did in school. It is fantastic to get the award. It demonstrates that what we do at Beckstone is valuable in caring for the children.

“For all our hard work to be recognised in a national award is well deserved for everyone who has been involved.”

The school, named as primary of the year at the recent CN Group Education Awards, has a worry post box for children to write down anything they are concerned about, including bullying, and a buddy system operates in the playground where 10 and 11-year-old pupils support the younger children.

Work is done about bullying in class and in mixed-age support groups around how to be a good friend, where pupils can go to for help, awareness of cyber bullying and staying safe on the internet for the older pupils.

The children are encouraged to talk about their problems and write apology letters if there are any disputes. Pupils also work on anti-bullying posters, role play and songs. The Bullying Intervention Group is a social enterprise based in Surrey.

First published at 12:11, Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk