FREE SCHOOL STAFF RESOURCE
BEFORE YOU CALL IT BANTER…
Bullying does not always arrive as one obvious incident.
Sometimes it is the same pupil repeatedly becoming the joke. The same comments moving between the corridor and the group chat. The same child changing where they sit, who they avoid or how much of themselves they show.
And sometimes it continues because nobody has quite stopped to look at the pattern.
This free staff guide helps school teams notice what may be happening, respond without minimising it and follow up before a pupil has to fall apart to be taken seriously.
Before You Call It Banter staff guide helping school teams recognise bullying patterns and respond without minimising pupil concerns.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE STAFF GUIDE
Use it in your staffroom, during a briefing or as a starting point for a wider conversation about how your school responds when something is dismissed as banter.
Enter your details below and the guide will open immediately.
This resource is free to print and use within your school or organisation. Please keep the I Am Well branding in place and do not alter, sell or present the resource as your own.
WHAT THIS RESOURCE HELPS STAFF DEVELOP
The guide supports:
Earlier recognition of repeated behaviour, audiences and power imbalances.
More consistent responses when a pupil says something is happening.
Language that does not minimise what a pupil is experiencing.
Clear written recording, referral and follow-up through school procedures.
It is not about labelling every difficult moment as bullying. It is about noticing when repeated harm is being treated as a collection of unrelated incidents.
THREE QUESTIONS FOR A STAFF BRIEFING
Are we dealing with each incident separately and missing the pattern?
Which well-meant responses might unintentionally close a pupil down?
What should a pupil be able to expect after they tell an adult something is happening?
WHERE CAN IT BE USED?
Staff briefings and team meetings
Safeguarding and behaviour discussions
Tutor-team or pastoral meetings
Staffrooms and school offices
New-staff induction
You do not need to turn it into a full training session. Ten focused minutes can be enough to help a team think about language, patterns and what happens after a pupil speaks.
ONE CONVERSATION.
TWO SIDES OF IT.
Looking for something pupils can use?
Before You Say, “It’s Not That Deep…” is the companion resource written directly for young people. It helps them look at patterns, check their part and think about what to do next.
A RESOURCE CAN START THE CONVERSATION
A workshop gives pupils and staff the space to have it properly.
I Am Well delivers practical, age-appropriate sessions exploring group behaviour, impact, pressure, early intervention and what people can do differently.
Sessions are available for pupils, school staff or both. They can be delivered online or in person and adapted to your school’s needs.
USING THE RESOURCE
Schools and organisations may download, print and use this guide internally.
Please retain the I Am Well branding. When sharing it outside your organisation, please share this webpage rather than uploading the PDF elsewhere.
This resource supports reflection and early response. It does not replace your school’s behaviour, anti-bullying or safeguarding procedures.