For this year's Anti-Bullying Week, 'One Kind Word' has been chosen as the overall theme. Being kind to one another is so important, especially after the difficulties we have all faced over the last 18 months or so. We have all realised that little acts of kindness can really brighten someone's day. This is why the Anti-Bullying Alliance are using the slogan 'One Kind Word' for their Anti-Bullying Week campaign this year.

"Kindness means something. It can change someone's perspective. It can change the course of a conversation. It can change a person's day. It can break the cycle of bullying. Best of all, one kind word leads to another," Anti-Bullying Alliance, 2021.

At RHS, great importance is placed on pastoral care and pupil wellbeing. With a zero tolerance to bullying, the safety of our pupils is paramount, with excellent safeguarding measures in place from all members of staff.

This is why it was important for us to get involved in Anti-Bullying Week. This year, we decided to give all members of the community a chance to share a kind word by writing a postcard, along with a rock sweet, with the hashtag - #partofRHS.

We spoke to the housemistress of Hood House (a girls' boarding house for Years 8-12), Mrs Skau, about how this campaign is going, "Each time I put a pile of postcards out to be written, they are gone instantly. It's just so nice to see how enthusiastic the pupils are about this."

It is a great opportunity for our pupils to thank their teachers, "It's definitely making a conscious effort to be kind. Initially, the pupils were writing to their friends, but now I am dropping some lovely postcards from the pupils into their teachers' classrooms," explained Mrs Skau.

At the beginning of the week, the whole school came together to wear odd socks in support of Odd Socks Day. "It's an opportunity to encourage people to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique," Anti-Bullying Alliance, 2021.

A few of the departments showcased their odd socks on Twitter. Here, the Headmaster shows his multicoloured socks!

To mark the final day of Anti-Bullying Week, all our pupils came together to form 'One Kind Word' on the Parade Square. Each year group was allocated a letter for a collaborative involvement.

Supporting Anti-Bullying is something we focus on all year round here at RHS and we will encourage our community to continue spreading 'One Kind Word'.

Music: Another Time Musician: LiQWYD