Almost 830 schools will stage poster displays, themed assemblies, poem competitions and exercises to engage pupils in understanding their role and responsibility in tackling bullying of schoolmates.

Now in its fourth year, Anti-Bullying Week plays a key role in highlighting the impact which bullying can have on a young person’s life.

Vice-chair of the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum (NIABF) Philomena McDermott said: “This year Anti-Bullying Week has set out to challenge the fear of bullying that young people may associate with the move to a new school.

“This may be because they’re making a transition from primary to post-primary schools, but it can also be for a host of other reasons including families moving home or because a child has had a particularly bad experience of bullying in a previous school.

“Changing schools can often be a difficult time, and children and young people may feel that ‘they are becoming a small fish in a very big pond’.

“The normal worries about making friends, leaving old friends behind, getting to know new teachers and perhaps studying new subjects are escalated by the fear of being bullied.

“NIABF is keen to support schools, children and families to talk together to increase children’s confidence that their new school is a welcoming place, whilst reminding pupils of their school’s intolerance towards all forms of bullying.

“We are delighted that 825 schools are taking an active part in the week and using it as a stimulus to commit to long-term and sustainable measures to prevent and deal with this problem.”

School bullying can have serious consequences for children, leading to academic under-achievement, physical and emotional distress, loss of self-esteem, eating disorders and truancy.

Translink, which is a supporter of this year’s campaign, will be displaying anti-bullying messages to the public through poster displays at train and bus stations across Northern Ireland. Translink brand manager Louise Scott said: “The welfare of pupils is a responsibility which a number of stakeholders play a part in.

“As the leading provider of school transport in Northern Ireland delivering 65,000 school journeys daily, Translink takes its role very seriously.

“With any period of change in our lives, there are worries and concerns and this is the same with the transition period between primary and post-primary education level. For some pupils, it may be the first time they have had to access public transport to get to school and we aim to help make this changeover go as smoothly as possible by providing a comfortable, safe and reliable school transport service.

“Working in partnership with schools and NIABF we can help raise awareness of the serious issue of bullying and thereby ensure pupils’ experiences at school are positive and rewarding.”