Pupil Voice Week 2017 aims to celebrate the diversity and individuality of the pupil voice, encouraging pupils to use their voice be themselves and create positivity for those around them. We are lucky to have some fantastic partners supporting the week this year. eAWARE provide digital safeguarding in schools, in this blog their Lead Content Developer Joe Brewer explores the role pupil voice plays when tackling cyberbullying.

“No one should suffer in silence.” How many times have you heard that saying? Plenty I’m sure. Now ask yourself “How many times have I worried or been silenced, not knowing who to talk to and in turn suffered alone?”. If you’re like me then probably more times than you’re proud to admit.

Whilst my time at school was mostly happy there were occasions where bullying, both online and offline, got the better of me. I’d go home worrying about the next school day, feel isolated from my peers and worst of all, keep my worries to myself. Bullies had stripped me of my voice, I couldn’t speak up, challenge or report their behaviour.

Sign-up to the second Pupil Voice Week at pupilvoiceweek.co.uk to join us for a week of activities from the 25th – 29th September 2017.

With over 300 schools taking part in Pupil Voice Week last year we are so excited to be launching this year’s campaign with the theme ‘It’s Your Voice’.

Pupil Voice Week aims to celebrate the diversity and individuality of The Pupil Voice, encouraging pupils to use their voice to be themselves and create positivity for those around them.

Tootoot announce today the launch of their anti-bullying and safeguarding platform in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The platform and app, which is available 24/7, 365 days a year is six times more effective at resolving incidences than face-to- face reporting. Bullying is currently an issue in many UAE schools, with 60 per cent of teenage boys experiencing bullying, according to Abu Dhabi Education Council. Worryingly, only 1 in 10 pupils actually tell someone about the issues they are facing. tootoot solves this problem by providing pupils with a safe and easy way to take the first step towards resolving their concerns. The platform has already experienced significant success in the UK with pupils reporting over 6,000 cases of bullying. Its impact has been recognised by the UK Government’s Department for Education who have supported the delivery of the anti-bullying and safeguarding platform to an additional 120,000 pupils across the UK.

Our friends over at Commando Joe’s have recently launched a whole new package for primary schools, centred around our character and life skills curriculum – the exciting top-secret ‘COJO Box’.

Their instructor-led programme is completely unique – and it works. With proven results in increasing levels of attainment, attendance and behaviour, we’re extremely proud of our impact so far.

But in order to reach as many young people as possible, and support schools when they are not there, they wanted to provide another option.

2017 was always set to be a big year for tootoot, and it’s certainly not disappointed so far! Today (24th January 2017) has brought the arrival of our brand new updated IOS app for iPhone and iPad. Developers at tootoot have been busy behind the scenes for a very long time analysing our old application, seeing what works and what needs updating to make the app even better!

One of the biggest updates for the app was to introduce push notifications for users. This allows students as well as mentors to be notified when a case has been responded to, as well as when a case/incident has been reassigned to you (mentors). When the notification is selected, the user is taken through to the relevant case/incident within the app too!

Providing our customers with an easy and yet secure way to log into their tootoot account was also central motivation for us to introduce a fingerprint Touch ID option to log in with, alongside creating their own 5-digit passcode. This ensures security when viewing cases and responses, from both mentor and student perspective.