General anti-bullying progammes are fairly pointless, I reckon. I think they are based on okay research, but as a teacher I can tell you that despite being carpet-bombed with ‘Bullying No Way’ and so on, kids still tease one another, and still mock each other, and still get into arguments, and still let those arguments get out of hand. Kids still hurt each others’ feelings. Half the time they are just getting angry and responding to a slight or a perceived slight, and getting carried away with their anger. Kids still can be uncaring and unfeeling about how their words will affect others. I sometimes wonder if the victims are also a bit precious and selfish, as though victimhood is a kind of special state, as though attracting sympathy is a good thing. (It is in our broader society at least!)

The most balanced kids have a stable home life, plenty of love, and both parents. They know who they are. Such kids don’t need anti-bullying programmes because they’ve grown up with good values.

I think any school will have hard time really teaching anti-bullying, or doing a better job than two loving, real parents.