A NATIONAL award has been presented to a Halesowen School for its stance against bullying.

Leasowes High School is the first in the borough to win the Bullying Intervention Group - BIG Award - in recognition of its “excellence” in challenging bullying.

It has also been awarded the Dudley Schools Anti-Bullying Pledge, which requires schools to meet specific criteria in their anti-bullying work.

Rupert Hannibal, who leads on the school’s anti-bullying strategies, said a comprehensive approach to reducing incidents of bullying, promoting a safe environment for their students and making it safe to tell, had been developed over the last few years.

He said: “Leasowes is a school that doesn’t ignore the fact that bullying can be a concern for students and their parents, particularly when it comes to choosing a secondary school. “Our students and parents give us great feedback on how the children feel safe and feel that staff are quick to deal with any bullying concerns.

“We thought it was about time that we got recognition for the work that we, and most importantly the work that students themselves do.” The school already had an effective pastoral team working alongside a team of peer mentors and prefects but now the whole school community signs up each year to the Anti-bullying Pledge and signatures are displayed on the Pledge Wall.

They also have a lunch and break time club, known as The Hub where students can meet and talk with peer mentors in a calm and peaceful environment.

It has also recruited students as anti-bullying ambassadors and created an anti-bullying task group, including staff, governors, parents and students, where bullying concerns are monitored. Staff training has also been a focus.

Headteacher Neil Shaw said: “Leasowes doesn’t tolerate bullying of any sort and if any student is found to be involved in bullying behaviour, as well as the usual disciplinary procedures, we have a range of ways of dealing with them, such as restorative justice where they will be expected to help other students.

“It might be the anti-bullying ambassadors who decide on the consequences, but the emphasis is on reducing the risk of bullying.” Resilience and assertiveness workshops have also been specifically designed to reduce students’ vulnerabilities to bullying behaviour and Mr Shaw said the whole package of measures ensured bullying was a rare occurrence at the school.

He added: “We want the parents and carers of our students to feel that their children are as safe and happy as possible when at school and these two awards will go a long way in assuring them that everyone at Leasowes High School is doing their very best to make the school a happy and secure learning community.”