What is bullying?
Bullying is not just about repeated incidents or obvious aggression. It is defined by both the behaviour and its impact. At its core, bullying undermines a child or young person’s sense of control over their own life – what we call their sense of agency.
It can take many forms, including:
- verbal abuse, such as name-calling, teasing or threats
- physical actions like hitting, pushing or damaging belongings
- emotional harm through exclusion or spreading rumours
- online abuse, including messages or images shared on social media or gaming platforms
What matters most is how the behaviour affects the individual. If a child feels hurt, frightened, excluded or powerless, and is unable to respond effectively, then adults must step in to help restore their sense of safety and control. The focus should always be on the impact of the behaviour, not just whether it was intentional or repeated.
Prejudice
Bullying can often be rooted in prejudice. These are attitudes or assumptions about someone’s identity or background.
This type of bullying may target a person’s race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief. It can also affect children who are care-experienced, young carers, asylum seekers, or those perceived as different in any way.
The Equality Act 2010 outlines nine protected characteristics, and schools must ensure that bullying related to any of these is addressed. However, prejudice-based bullying can also go beyond these legal definitions. For example, children may be bullied because of their body image, socio-economic background or additional support needs.
Creating a school culture that values diversity and challenges prejudice is essential. This means not only responding to incidents but also actively promoting equality and inclusion in everyday school life.