How to recognise bullying at school, understand what schools are legally required to do, and support your child effectively — from everyday exclusion to serious incidents.
Bullying at school is deliberate, repeated behaviour intended to hurt someone physically or emotionally. It can be physical aggression, name-calling, threats, spreading rumours, deliberate exclusion from friendship groups, or damaging and taking belongings. Unlike an ordinary falling-out between friends, bullying follows a pattern and usually involves an imbalance of power, and it can seriously affect a child's confidence, sleep, attendance and learning.
Bullying often starts small, with teasing or exclusion that is easy to dismiss, and escalates once the child targeted seems unlikely to tell anyone. Many children hide it out of shame, fear of making things worse, or worry that adults will take over and embarrass them. Because classmates are connected through group chats and social media, bullying that starts in the playground often continues at home in the evenings, so the child never gets respite. Bystanders matter too: bullying thrives where other children watch silently and fades where they refuse to join in.
1. Keep everyday conversations about school open
Ask specific, low-pressure questions about breaktimes, lunch and friendships rather than a general 'how was school'. Children who talk routinely about the small stuff find it easier to raise the big stuff early.
2. Read the school's anti-bullying policy
Every school should have one, and state schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy that includes measures to prevent bullying. Knowing what the school has committed to, and who to contact, puts you in a much stronger position if you ever need it.
3. Build friendships and confidence outside school
Clubs, sport and activities away from school give a child a separate friendship group and a place where they feel valued. That makes them more resilient and less isolated if things go wrong at school.
ตรวจสอบล่าสุด: 2026-08-22
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