Bullying at primary school: The damage to pupils’ mental health, well-being and life-chances, and how a whole-school, anti-bullying approach canmake a difference

Bullying in childhood contributes between 25 and 40 per cent towards poor mental health outcomes in young adulthood, and yet it is also one of the most modifiable risk factors concerning the mental health and well-being of children. While bullying has often been viewed as a normal, if regrettable, part of formal education, recent findings indicate that children with already-identified mental health disorders are between four and five times more likely to experience bullying. Considering the well-established link between bullying and later experiences of anxiety, depression, and self-harm (amongst other mental health conditions), the need to prevent bullying in schools is highlighted. This paper offers an overview of the recent literature concerning mental health and bullying in childhood, and considers findings from the UK’s first randomised-controlled trial anti-bullying intervention. In light of these findings, I consider how teachers could be better supported to care pastorally for their pupils who experience bullying at school.