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Pupils: Bullying

Asked by Matt VickersConservativeDepartment for EducationTabled Answered 16 June 2026UIN 7505

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of anti-bullying programmes in reducing mental health problems among school-age children.

Answered by Olivia Bailey

All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying. They have the freedom to develop their own anti-bullying strategies appropriate to their environment and are held to account by Ofsted.

The department recently commissioned an expert and evidence-led review into best practice on managing pupil behaviour, reducing preventable exclusions and tackling and preventing bullying. The learning from this review will inform the creation of a practical toolkit for schools to support senior leaders to develop safe, supportive school cultures.

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