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Anti-Bullying Week: helping your child break the silence

Many children keep bullying to themselves. Here is how to notice, how to start the conversation, and who to talk to at school.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 13 Oct 2026 6 min read

Key takeaways

1. Why this week

Anti-Bullying Week runs from Monday 16 to Friday 20 November 2026. This year’s theme, chosen with the help of more than 200 children and young people, is Break the Silence. It starts with Odd Socks Day on Monday 16 November.[1]

2. How common is bullying?

In the Department for Education’s national behaviour survey, 21% of pupils in Years 7 to 13 said they had been bullied in the past 12 months, down from 24% the year before. Most said it was by pupils at their own school.[2]

It was most common in Years 7 to 9 (Key Stage 3, 25%), then Years 10 and 11 (Key Stage 4, 19%), and least common in Years 12 and 13 (Key Stage 5, 11%).[2]

A separate national survey of 10 to 15-year-olds found that 19% had experienced at least one kind of online bullying in a year, and twice as many (38%) had experienced bullying in person.[3]

3. Why children keep it quiet

In that survey, about 1 in 4 children (26%) who were bullied online didn’t tell anyone. Boys were more likely to keep it to themselves (34%) than girls (15%). More than half (52%) said they wouldn’t call what happened to them bullying.[3]

Here is the reassuring part. When children did tell someone, they most often told a parent (56%), and about 1 in 3 told a teacher (32%).[3]

You are the person your child is most likely to tell. A calm, open door makes that easier.

4. Quiet signs to notice

Children don’t always say it out loud. These changes can be a sign that something is wrong, although they won’t always mean your child is being bullied.[4]

Not wanting to go to school

Reluctance to go in, or suddenly avoiding the school bus or certain places.

Quieter than usual

Losing confidence, seeming anxious, or pulling away from family and friends.

Eating or sleeping changes

Not hungry after school, or finding it hard to get to sleep.

A change at school

Schoolwork or behaviour that suddenly changes, or changes in how they look after themselves.

5. How to open the conversation

Choose a moment when you can give your child your full attention. Side by side often feels easier than face to face, such as a car journey or a walk. Stay calm, listen, and let them know it isn’t their fault.[5]

Start small

“Who did you sit with at lunch today?”

Best and worst

“What was the best bit of today, and the hardest bit?”

Ask about others

“Is anyone being unkind to you, or to someone else in your class?”

Make it a story

After a TV programme or a book: “What should that character have done?”

If they’re not ready to talk to you: That’s OK. Suggest another trusted adult, such as a teacher or relative, or Childline, which is free and confidential: 0800 1111.

6. Who to contact at school, and when

GOV.UK advises reporting bullying to the school in the first place. Keep a note of dates, times and what happened, and if it happens online, don’t delete the messages.[6]

Let the school know as soon as your child tells you. Start with the class teacher or form tutor, or the head of year or head of house. Ask for the school’s anti-bullying and behaviour policies, agree what will happen next, and set a date to check in. If it carries on, follow the school’s complaints procedure.[5]

When
Who to contact
As soon as your child tells you
Class teacher or form tutor
If it carries on or is serious
Head of year or head of house
If it still isn’t resolved
The school’s complaints procedure, then the chair of governors
If it involves a crime
The police (call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger)
If your child wants to talk to someone else
Childline, free and confidential: 0800 1111

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. What share of pupils in Years 7 to 13 said they had been bullied in the past 12 months?

  2. 2. Who do children most often tell about online bullying?

  3. 3. Who should you contact first at school?

Your next steps

  • Wear odd socks together on Monday 16 November and ask why it matters.
  • Try one side-by-side chat this week, in the car or on a walk.
  • Find your school’s anti-bullying policy on its website.

Sources

  1. National Children’s Bureau and Anti-Bullying Alliance (15 May 2026). Children suffering bullying in silence as Anti-Bullying Week 2026 launches “Break the Silence” theme. ncb.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/news-opinion/children-suffering-bullying-silence-anti-bullying-week-2026
  2. Department for Education (20 November 2025). National behaviour survey: findings from the 2024 to 2025 academic year. Pupils in years 7 to 13, May 2025. gov.uk/government/publications/national-behaviour-survey-report-2024-to-2025-academic-year
  3. Office for National Statistics (16 November 2020). Online bullying in England and Wales: year ending March 2020. Crime Survey for England and Wales, children aged 10 to 15. ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/onlinebullyinginenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2020
  4. NSPCC Learning. Protecting children from bullying and cyberbullying: signs and indicators. learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-abuse-and-neglect/bullying-cyberbullying
  5. NSPCC. Dealing with bullying: advice for parents, including talking to your child and contacting the school. nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/dealing-with-bullying
  6. GOV.UK. Bullying at school: reporting bullying. gov.uk/bullying-at-school/reporting-bullying
  7. Action for Children, Parent Talk. What to do if you think your child is being bullied. parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/school-life/school-behaviour-wellbeing/my-child-is-being-bullied

This guide is general study advice. Every student is different. A teacher can help you work out what fits.