Ely primary school trains students to resolve potential disputes as part of Anti Bullying Week

Fifteen Year 6 children at The Lantern Community Primary School have been trained in 'peer mediation to help them resolve potential disputes as part of Anti Bullying Week. They also took part in a non-uniform day for Children in Need and were encouraged to wear odd socks to raise awareness for the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Picture: TALI ISERLES (Image: Archant)

Fifteen Year 6 children at The Lantern Community Primary School have been trained in peer mediation in a scheme which is to be piloted in January.

Teacher Melanie Wordsworth, who is the personal, social and health education (PSHE) lead for the school, said she had trained the students to deal with conflict resolution such as minor playground disagreements.

The scheme follows on from anti bullying week, a series of events that saw parents invited into the Nene Road school to promote kindness and wellbeing.

Students in Year 1 and Year 4 at at The Lantern Community Primary School in Ely were encouraged to draw their “superpower” onto pebbles donated by members of the Ely Rock Eels group. Picture: TALI ISERLES (Image: Archant)

The week started with an assembly focusing on kindness and using positive language.

Throughout the week activities took place to promote the theme "celebrate me".

Parents and children were encouraged to share their interests and passions, from sign language and sewing to running and athletics, jewellery making, first aid, diary writing, basketball and physiotherapy.

Students in Year 1 and Year 4 at at The Lantern Community Primary School in Ely were encouraged to draw their superpower onto pebbles donated by members of the Ely Rock Eels group. Picture: TALI ISERLES (Image: Copyright 2009)

Students in Year 1 and Year 4 were encouraged to draw their "superpower" onto pebbles donated by members of the Ely Rock Eels group. The rocks will become a permanent display in the school.

Older pupils watched a presentation about mental health by Tony Sigrist, who founded the Talking FreEly charity.

Kings Ely music teacher Rebecca Woodward brought a group of choristers into the school to sing and talk about what made them happy.

Mrs Wordsworth said: "The children loved it."

Ely College also took part, with Year 7 students running drama improvisation sessions for Year 4 and Year 6 classes on how to stand up to bullying and "use your voice assertively".

On the Friday, Lantern students took part in a non-uniform day for Children in Need and were encouraged to wear odd socks to raise awareness for the Anti-Bullying Alliance, in return for a voluntary donation.

They raised £468.82, which was split evenly between the two charities.

Mrs Wordsworth hoped the activities throughout the week would encourage children to take up new hobbies and interests as well as celebrating what made them unique.

She said: "We were hoping to promote an interest in acquiring new skills for the future that didn't necessarily involve an electronic device.0

"The anti bullying message doesn't just stop after that week, with children learning about kindness and acceptance during regular PHSE sessions, she added.

Assistant principal Rachel Edwards said she wanted to create a safe environment where children felt their concerns were listened to and taken seriously.

Anti Bullying Week took place from November 11 to 15.