§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of the extent of bullying of disabled pupils in schools; and what specific guidance she gives to schools and local education authorities on this matter.
§ Mr. ForthOfsted's framework for inspection requires inspecting teams to obtain the views of pupils, parents and teachers on the incidence of bullying and the school's response to it. Reports should include an evaluation of the measures taken by the school to prevent and eliminate bullying.
The Department's anti-bullying pack, "Don't Suffer in Silence", published in September, included practical guidance on strategies that schools can adopt to combat bullying of pupils, including those with special educational needs. In addition, the Department stressed the importance of effective action against bullying in guidance on pupil behaviour and discipline, sent to local education authorities and all maintained schools in May as part of the "Pupils with Problems" series of circulars.