Anti-Bullying Week is an important opportunity to bring your school community together, strengthen your anti-bullying message and give pupils the confidence to speak up if they need help.
For many schools, inviting an external anti-bullying visitor can be a powerful way to make the topic feel fresh, memorable and engaging. A good visitor can support your PSHE or RSHE curriculum, reinforce your safeguarding work and give pupils a shared language they can continue using long after the visit.
But with so many options available, how do you choose the right anti-bullying visitor for your school?
If you are still in the early stages of planning, you may also find our guide to 5 Tips for Organising Anti-Bullying Week useful.
Here are some practical things to consider before making your decision.
1. Look for Age-Appropriate Content
Anti-Bullying education needs to feel right for the age and stage of the pupils taking part.
For younger pupils in EYFS and Key Stage 1, the most effective sessions usually use simple language, storytelling, movement and clear examples linked to friendship, kindness and speaking up.
At this age, children are still developing their understanding of feelings, relationships and the impact of their words and actions. A strong session should help them explore these ideas in a positive and accessible way.
For older pupils in Key Stage 2, pupils are ready to explore more complex ideas, such as:
- What bullying is and how it differs from conflict or falling out
- How bullying can happen online, including through group chats
They can also begin to practise practical strategies for responding if they experience bullying, witness bullying or notice that someone is being left out.
When choosing an anti-bullying visitor, it is worth asking whether the provider offers differentiated sessions for different year groups. A whole-school visit works best when every pupil is included, but the content still feels carefully matched to their age.
2. Choose Interactive Delivery
Pupils are more likely to remember anti-bullying learning when they are actively involved.
An effective anti-bullying visitor should give pupils opportunities to take part, reflect, discuss and practise what they are learning. This is especially important because anti-bullying education is about behaviour, choices and relationships.
Drama, role-play and interactive storytelling can be especially useful because they help pupils explore realistic situations in a safe way. For example, pupils might practise how to speak up calmly, how to ask for help or how to support someone who is being treated unfairly.
Interactive delivery also helps make the visit more memorable. Instead of just hearing information, pupils rehearse new skills.
When looking at different providers, consider whether pupils will be active participants throughout the session. A strong visit should feel engaging, purposeful and inclusive.
For more guidance on what works well in anti-bullying education, you can read our article on Anti-Bullying Strategies for Schools.
3. Check the Curriculum Links
A good anti-bullying visit should support the work your school is already doing through PSHE, RSHE, relationships education and safeguarding.
This does not mean the session needs to feel formal or overly academic – it just needs to have clear educational value.
Useful anti-bullying curriculum links may include helping pupils understand:
- What bullying is and the impact it can have
- How to get help and how to support others safely
It may also include learning around stereotypes, the actions bystanders can take and positive relationships.
The Anti-Bullying workshops can then help you evidence the positive work you are doing to support pupil wellbeing and a safe school culture.
Before booking, it is worth asking whether the provider can share clear learning outcomes or a curriculum mapping document. This can make it easier for PSHE leads, DSLs and senior leaders to see how the visit supports wider school priorities.
4. Make Sure the Messaging Is Safe, Positive and Empowering
Anti-bullying education is important, but it should be handled carefully.
The best sessions help pupils understand bullying without leaving them feeling worried or overwhelmed. They acknowledge that bullying can be hurtful, but they also focus on what pupils can do, where they can get help and how everyone can contribute to a kinder school community.
A strong anti-bullying visitor should use language that is clear and age-appropriate. They should avoid scare tactics and focus on practical, positive action.
When reviewing a provider, look for signs that their approach is:
- Skills-based and practical
- Positive, reassuring and suitable for the age group
This helps pupils leave the session feeling informed and confident, rather than anxious.
5. Ask What Follow-Up Resources Are Included
A visit has the greatest impact when the learning continues afterwards.
Teachers are busy, so follow-up resources should be simple to use and genuinely helpful. They should make it easier for staff to revisit the key messages without needing to create everything from scratch.
Useful follow-up resources might include lesson plans, PowerPoints, video lessons, discussion prompts, posters or parent and carer communication templates.
These resources can help staff reinforce shared language across the school. They can also support class discussions if pupils raise questions after the visit.
When choosing an anti-bullying visitor, ask what is included after the day itself. A provider that offers clear follow-up support can help your school get more long-term value from the visit.
6. Consider Whole-School Impact
Anti-bullying work is most effective when the message is consistent across the school.
A whole-school visit can help create shared language for pupils and staff. It also means every year group receives age-appropriate learning linked to the same wider message.
This is particularly useful during Anti-Bullying Week, which is a great opportunity to get everyone on the same page around Anti-Bullying.
When comparing providers, consider whether they can support your whole school in a practical way.
- For example, can they work with EYFS, KS1 and KS2?
- Can they provide different sessions for different age groups?
- Can they help you create a timetable that works around your school day?
Whole-school impact does not have to mean more work for staff. With the right provider, it should feel easier to organise and more consistent for pupils.
7. Think About Ease of Organisation
For teachers and school leaders, the quality of the visit matters. So does the experience of organising it.
A good provider should make the process straightforward. Communication should be clear and it should be easy to get hold of them via phone and email.
Requirements for the visit should be simple and staff should know exactly what to expect before the day.
This is especially important during busy times of year when you are already be managing assemblies, themed lessons, displays and wider pastoral work.
Before booking, consider asking:
- Will the provider help create a timetable?
- What space, equipment and staff support will be needed?
The easier the visit is to organise, the more staff can focus on the pupils and the learning.
For a practical planning resource, you can also download our Anti-Bullying Week Checklist, which includes a video and checklist to support your preparation.
Questions to Ask Before Booking an Anti-Bullying Visitor
Before confirming a booking, it can be helpful to ask a few practical questions:
- Is the content differentiated for different year groups?
- How interactive are the sessions?
- What curriculum outcomes are covered?
- Are online bullying and group chats included for older pupils?
- What follow-up resources are provided?
- Can the provider support the whole school?
- What do other schools say about the visit?
These questions can help you choose a provider that fits your pupils, your staff and your wider school priorities.
Choosing an Anti-Bullying Visit That Lasts Beyond the Day
The right anti-bullying visitor should do more than deliver an engaging session. They should help pupils understand what bullying is, practise positive responses and build shared language that staff can continue using afterwards.
A strong visit can support Anti-Bullying Week, strengthen your PSHE and RSHE curriculum and contribute to a positive whole-school culture.
At OpenView Education, our drama-based anti-bullying workshops are age-appropriate, interactive and designed to support a whole-school approach. Every booking includes follow-up resources to help teachers continue the learning after the visit.
If you are planning Anti-Bullying Week or looking for an engaging anti-bullying visitor for your school, you can find out more about our Anti-Bullying Workshops for Schools.
