Learning, teaching and community well-being are enhanced when positive attitudes are prevalent within a school, and through our involvement with Anti-Bullying Awareness Week, we aim to foster these attitudes further here at BISL.

Anti-bullying awareness is incredibly important. With all of the pressures that children face today, anything that we can do to help spread the word about appreciating each other is positive. Encouraging everyone to be more thoughtful and less critical will help make the world a better place.

Learning to understand and manage conflict is an important part of growing up for every child. In their PSHE lessons and during Form Time and Assembly last week, our students discussed what bullying behaviour is and how it may affect victims of bullying, and explored the impact that one kind word can have on a person's day.

Kindness is more important today than ever. The isolation due to the pandemic has underlined just how much little acts of kindness can break down barriers and brighten the lives of those around us, hence why the Anti-Bullying Alliance has chosen #OneKindWord as the theme of Anti-Bullying Awareness Week this year.

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behaviour among children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
Definition of Bullying, Anti-Bullying Alliance UK

Our school is an environment free of prejudice, discrimination and intimidation, underpinned by our school Values:

EXCELLENCE · RESPECT · RESPONSIBILITY · INTEGRITY · COMPASSION

We expect our students to be respectful to each other, treating others as they would like to be treated themselves. At the same time, they are encouraged to, and have the confidence to, speak to a member of staff if they are in distress or feel they have been the victim of inappropriate behaviour of any kind.

As an international school, with over 40 different nationalities represented in our community, we celebrate diversity on a regular basis in many different ways, and Anti-Bullying Awareness Week is a wonderful opportunity for us to learn about our differences and celebrate what makes us all unique.

Odd Socks Day

As the culmination of Anti-Bullying Awareness Week, everyone in our community was encouraged to wear odd socks for a day for a very worthwhile cause. By participating in Odd Socks Day, we encouraged everyone to express themselves without fear of judgement and celebrate their individuality, as well as reminded everyone to think about our words before we say them and their effects on others. We are all different and we should all be proud of that!

Take a look at some of our amazing Odd Socks:

#OneKindWord