Anti-Bullying Week is coordinated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, and takes place each November with a different theme. The week is kicked off with Odd Socks Day, where adults and children are encouraged to wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.
Researchers from NTU’s School of Social Sciences supported the Anti-Bullying Alliance to develop a suite of free resources which helped to bring the theme from 2023 - Make A Noise About Bullying - to life in primary and secondary schools across the UK. The researchers also created a special episode of NTU’s Re:search Re:imagined podcast, with useful tips and advice for teachers on how to spot the difference between bullying and banter.
Part of NTU Psychology within the School, the researchers form part of the Bullying and Aggressive Behaviour research group (within the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Social Interaction) which focuses on a range of aggressive behaviours including face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying, harassment in public places, banter, and aggression in interpersonal relationships.
Meet our experts
Lucy Betts
Lucy is a professor in social developmental psychology at NTU. Her current research primarily focuses on young people’s experiences of bullying and harassment. Lucy is also on the Anti-Bullying Alliance Advisory Group.
Oonagh Steer
Oonagh is a Lecturer in Social and Cyber Psychology. Specifically, her research explores the fine line between harmful cyberbullying and harmless online banter and factors which may mediate the perceived severity of this.
Sarah Buglass
Sarah is a Principal Lecturer within the Department of Psychology. Her research interests primarily involve the use of digital technology and problematic/risky online behaviour.
Loren Abell
Loren is a Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology and Associate Course Leader for MSc Psychology. Recently, Loren has been conducting research into aggression and banter in online and offline contexts.
Free school resources
Produced by the Anti-Bullying Alliance using expert insights from NTU academics, the free resources include everything you need to make Anti-Bullying Week a success in your school. There are packs for both primary and secondary aged children and each contains an assembly plan and lesson plan, as well as cross-curricular activity ideas that have been designed to encourage young people to consider what bullying means to them, how banter can turn into something more hurtful, and what can be done to stop bullying.
All of the resources are available on the Anti-Bullying Alliance website and they are free to download and use.
Listen to the podcast episode
Banter vs Bullying: influencing classroom culture (Teacher’s special)
In this episode of the Re:search Re:imagined podcast, we're joined by experts Lucy Betts and Oonagh Steer from NTU's School of Social Sciences. Together, they explore ways in which teachers can foster open conversations among children and young people about banter, encouraging them to consider how jokes might be perceived differently than intended. The episode also delves into the ambiguous nature of banter, emphasing how factors such as context can be important in determining meaning behind messaging.
We’re also joined by Director of the Anti-Bullying Alliance, Martha Evans, who provides an oversight into their work and their aims with Anti-Bullying Week.
Listen below, or find the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or YouTube.
Bullying and Aggressive Behaviour Research Group
The Bullying and Aggressive Behaviour group undertakes research that broadly reflects how bullying and aggressive behaviour is defined, experienced, and the psychological impact of involvement in such behaviours. The group sits within the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Social Interaction.
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