Anti-Bullying Week 2026 takes place from Monday 16 to Friday 20 November with the theme Break the Silence. For primary schools, the week is an opportunity to give children clear language for recognising bullying, distinguishing it from everyday conflict and knowing what to do when something is not right.
HIP Psychology’s Hip N Healthy: Anti-Bullying workshop is designed for P4-P7 pupils and delivered live online. The session focuses on what bullying is, what it is not and how pupils can respond and ask for help. It is usually 60 minutes long.
Anti-Bullying Week 2026 dates and theme
The Anti-Bullying Alliance confirms that Anti-Bullying Week 2026 runs from 16 to 20 November and uses the theme Break the Silence. Schools can use the theme to strengthen help-seeking, listening and safe action across the week.
A themed week is most useful when its messages connect with the school’s current anti-bullying policy, reporting route and everyday adult response. Pupils need to recognise the same language after the campaign ends.
Help pupils understand what bullying is
Children need age-appropriate language for patterns of harmful behaviour, the impact on another person and the role of context. Teaching should use realistic fictional examples across the classroom, playground and online spaces.
The school’s policy and Northern Ireland guidance remain the reference points for recording and responding to alleged bullying. A workshop supports understanding; it does not decide the outcome of an individual incident.
Explain what bullying is not
Not every disagreement, fallout or unkind moment is bullying. These experiences can still be upsetting and may still require adult help, but children benefit from understanding the difference between conflict and a pattern of bullying behaviour.
This distinction should never be used to dismiss a pupil. It gives children clearer words for reporting what happened and helps adults choose a response that fits the situation.
What P4-P7 pupils should learn
By the end of a useful anti-bullying session, pupils should be better able to describe bullying in age-appropriate terms, distinguish it from ordinary conflict, recognise safe bystander choices and identify the adults or routes they can use for help.
Learning should not depend on pupils sharing personal experiences. Fictional scenarios allow children to practise thinking and language without turning a live concern into a public lesson.
About HIP Psychology's live online workshop
Hip N Healthy: Anti-Bullying — Break the Silence is a live online workshop for primary schools and P4-P7 pupils. It gives children clear, age-appropriate guidance around bullying, conflict and what to do next.
There is one relevant campaign format: live online. Schools do not need to choose between multiple versions. The workshop page contains the current booking route and practical information.
Prepare the school before the session
Brief staff on the key messages, the pupil audience and the support route that will be named. Confirm who will respond if a pupil seeks help during or after the workshop and make sure the route is visible.
Check the room, screen, sound and connection in advance. An adult from the school should remain present because the workshop supports school practice rather than replacing supervision or safeguarding responsibility.
Use the week beyond one assembly
Reinforce the workshop language through short classroom discussions, fictional scenarios, reminders about help routes and staff responses. Repetition helps pupils retrieve a safe next step when a real situation is difficult.
Avoid asking children to perform personal disclosures or publicly identify incidents. Anti-Bullying Week should make support safer and clearer, not create pressure to tell a story in front of peers.
Respond when a pupil speaks up
Thank the pupil, listen, check immediate safety and explain what will happen next. Do not promise secrecy, demand confrontation or decide too quickly that the situation is either definitely bullying or definitely not.
Follow the school’s current procedure for recording, investigation, safeguarding and communication. A calm first response can shape whether a pupil feels able to seek help again.
Keep messages consistent for families
Tell families what pupils will learn and remind them how to contact the school with a concern. Use language that distinguishes bullying from conflict without minimising either experience.
Families should understand that the workshop builds knowledge and help-seeking. Individual incidents remain subject to the school’s policy and appropriate follow-up.
Review the week proportionately
Check whether pupils can explain the core distinction, name a safe action and identify the school help route. Staff can also review which questions arose and where language or procedures need clarification.
Do not present a single event as proof that bullying has reduced. The useful outcome is clearer understanding connected with consistent school action over time.
Book Hip N Healthy: Anti-Bullying
HIP Psychology provides the live online P4-P7 workshop for Anti-Bullying Week and November. The commercial route is direct: review the workshop details and use the booking option on the HIP Psychology page.
Schools with a general question can contact the HIP team, but a school ready to plan the workshop should go directly to the workshop page.
Useful official guidance
Use this guide alongside current school policy and official guidance: Anti-Bullying Alliance 2026 campaign information, Department of Education guidance on addressing bullying in schools, Department of Education safeguarding guidance.
Related HIP Psychology resources
Continue with what counts as bullying in schools, bystander behaviour and safe upstander choices, anti-bullying assemblies, anti-bullying workshops for schools.
Planning Anti-Bullying Week 2026?
Give your P4-P7 pupils clarity around bullying, conflict and what to do when something is not right with HIP Psychology’s live online workshop.
Book the live online Hip N Healthy workshop
Frequently asked questions
When is Anti-Bullying Week 2026?
It runs from Monday 16 to Friday 20 November 2026.
What is the Anti-Bullying Week 2026 theme?
The Anti-Bullying Alliance theme is Break the Silence.
Who is the HIP Psychology workshop for?
It is for primary schools and P4-P7 pupils.
Is the workshop online?
Yes. Hip N Healthy: Anti-Bullying is delivered live online and is usually 60 minutes long.
What will pupils learn?
Pupils gain clearer language for what bullying is, what it is not, safe responses and how to ask for help.