Bullying in England’s Schools Often Goes Unnoticed
A large-scale study of 12- and 13-year-old students in England has found that a significant proportion of students who experience bullying believe that teachers and other school staff are unaware of what is happening. The initial findings from the Growing Up in the 2020s study, conducted by the Department for Education in collaboration with University College London (UCL) and the Anna Freud Centre, provide important insights into students’ school experiences, sense of belonging, and mental health.
According to the study, only 31 percent of students who reported experiencing bullying said that school staff were aware of it. While 33 percent said that staff were not aware of the bullying, 36 percent were unsure whether school staff knew about it.
The study also identified significant differences in students’ sense of belonging at school. More than one-third of students said that they did not feel that they belonged at their school. Feelings of belonging were lower among girls, students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and students with lower levels of prior academic attainment.
The research also found that disruptive behaviour was widespread in schools. Ninety-six percent of students reported experiencing at least some disruption in their classrooms, while 17 percent said that other students behaved inappropriately in every lesson.