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To Sam

The school bus

so today on the bus from school people in the year above me (year 9) unziped my bag and poked me in the neck and did things to annoy me. I would like to know some signs for me to use to help them get the message to stop.

Ask Sam

Sam

Hi there,

Bullying can happen in different ways. It could be someone calling you names or pushing you about. You might have things taken from you, or someone could be spreading rumours about you.

There are lots of other ways someone can be bullied and it can happen anywhere. Whether it’s online, at home, at school or on the bus, it’s never okay for someone to treat you like this.

Being bullied can make you feel upset and angry but it’s important not to fight back as you could get into trouble or be hurt.

It’s hard to find a place away from bullying when you’re in a small space like the bus but, if possible, try to sit somewhere away from the people doing this to you.

Standing up to bullying doesn’t mean fighting back.

If you’re assertive with people, you’re not being aggressive but you’re showing people how you really feel. Being assertive means you say what you think and are confident. It takes practice but it’s a skill you can learn.

Bullying can make you feel bad and bring you down and it’s important to make sure you talk about what’s happening.

It’s okay to tell someone at school that bullying is happening on the school bus. Your school has a duty to stop any bullying that’s happening either in school or on the way there. Also tell people at home, so you can get support there.

Try taking a look at our Bounce back from bullying tool for some more advice. You can also contact a Childline counsellor to talk things through in more detail if you’d like.

Take care,

Sam

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