Children, staff and families marked and celebrated Anti-Bullying Week 2025 with one united and powerful message - let us all use our ‘power for good’ to work together to bring an end to bullying - a theme that empowers everyone to do something positive to counter the harm and hurt that bullying causes.
This year’s theme - ‘Power for Good’ - celebrated the ability we all have to stand up to bullying, speak out, support others, spread kindness, and create safer environments for every child and adult. The week (as every day and week) was a vital reminder that every one of us has the power to make a difference, and captured what education is all about - empowering our children, young people and adults to speak up, show kindness, and create a safe and inclusive school community wherein every child and young person can thrive… surely ‘power for good’ in practice.
The week began with ‘Odd Socks Day’ - a day when our children and adults were encouraged to wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique. Children and staff across all classrooms utilised a range of resources which focused on how we can actively use our individual and collective ‘power for good’, and what we can do to help prevent bullying. Through a range of activities throughout the week, including song, stories, role play, art, games and discussions, and by wearing our odd socks on Monday, 10th, we embraced and demonstrated how we are ALL unique and different, and how important it is to be kind to each other, respecting each other’s individuality. We also discussed and reminded each other of our Against Bullying strategies - WITS and TRIP - and the importance of continuing to work together to stop bullying, creating a safer environment in which our children, young people and adults can live, grow, play, learn and work.
One particularly powerful and dedicated focus of the week was an exploration of the theme of ‘power for good’ through visual art. In conjunction with Sinead from Annadale Art Studio, Belfast, our children from Primaries Two - Seven participated in interactive and engaging online art lessons and sessions which promoted creativity, empathy and respect for ourselves and each other. Students were encouraged to reflect on kindness and respect for all, whilst creating a Super Hero for this important week. As many will be aware, it is so vital that our young people are gentle with themselves and each other, and develop and nurture the gift of empathy. Perhaps, as suggested by many of our children, the medium of artistic creation lends itself very well to this ideal, combining gentleness, mindfulness, mindset and creativity. Many congratulations to our children who worked so very creatively and ensured St Mary’s has a whole new wonderful array and diversity of Super Heroes!
We trust you will enjoy gleaning a little insight into our Against Bullying activities and objectives through our photographs and videos, as below. We thank all of our children, teachers and staff, and convey a special word of gratitude to two of our Primary Seven students - Sheana and Aaron - for compiling the video of our collective efforts of this special and important week in our school’s calendar.
