There was something ODD at Willow Brook today… thankfully, it was just the socks!

As we launch into a week where our thoughts turn to combatting bullying, this year’s theme of Reach Out gave us lots of things to consider and rehearse during our assembly and our lessons. Years 5 and 6 even joined in a live BBC lesson at 11 o’clock and thought about the theme with thousands of others!

Willow Brook children are now clear that bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. We know that it can happen face to face or online.

Standing up to bullying or reaching out when we become victims and making sure that when we ‘notice it, see it, think it or feel it, we need to share it, TALK about it and reach out’. Too often bullying is subtle and can be brushed aside, ignored or seen as teasing and ‘children being children’.

At Willow Brook we will work as hard as we can to be a community where children are taught to understand difference, respect individuality and learn the importance of positive words and interactions. And if that message starts with a cracking song by Andy and the Odd Socks and an upbeat assembly hall full of wild, bright feet, then so be it!

Catch the song below and look again at some of the resources.

Have a run through our launch-assembly slides again. Share them and talk about them together at home.