To raise awareness for Anti-Bullying Week 2024 (November 11 - 15), The Albion Foundation delivered a workshop at Hawthorn Primary School in line with this year’s theme – Choose Respect.
Following the success of the campaign in 2023 – when 80% of schools marked the week, reaching over 7.5 million children and young people – this year, the organisation will empower children and young people to choose respect.
The Foundation’s School Partnerships Manager Glenn Short, who delivered the workshop to 30 children at Hawthorn Primary School in Kingstanding – believes the day was a successful one.
“We went to Hawthorn Primary School to deliver our Anti-Bullying Week, and we’re choosing respect,” Short said. “Firstly we identified what respect was and the children gave some great answers.
“We then looked at some different scenarios and what that meant, and the children decided to figure out how they’d respond to those. Then finally the children had the chance to write their own pledges and read them aloud to the class.
“It’s really important that we raise awareness for Anti-Bullying week, to ensure inclusivity and to encourage the children to choose respect.”
The children’s pledges were written towards the end of the lesson and provide an example of how much they learnt through Mr Short’s teaching.
“I pledge to show respect, by ensuring that when someone is down, I will turn that frown upside down,” one pupil said.
“I will show respect when if they play football, I will shake their hand at the end of the match to show sportsmanship,” another pupil pledged.
“I will choose respect by making sure everyone is happy, and if they aren’t, I’ll let them talk to me about it,” one pupil said.
“I want to treat others how I would like to be treated,” another pupil pledged.
Students at Hawthorn Primary School also wore their odd socks, participating in Odd Socks Day, designed to be an opportunity to encourage people to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique.