#SRtRCSpotlight: Anti-Bullying day at Longbenton High School
At the beginning of November, the North East Education Team delivered a series of anti-racism workshops at Longbenton High School in Newcastle.
The school invited the team to take part in its Anti-Bullying drop-down day with Year 10 pupils. The aim of the day was to address the impact of unkind “banter,” encourage students to think critically about how their words affect others, and strengthen the sense of community within the school—one where students support each other, speak up when something feels wrong, and show care for those around them.
Throughout the sessions, the team and students discussed the importance of respecting others’ opinions, valuing people regardless of their race, gender, nationality, or culture, and challenging prejudice in all its forms. The conversations were thoughtful, reflective, and often eye-opening for many of the young people involved.
When asked about their experience, one student shared:
“You presented all the facts really well and gave us space to have our own opinions. You didn’t force anything on us, but you raised awareness about an important topic.”
Another student explained what they would take away from the workshop:
“Respect people, no matter who they are or where they’re from.”
A third added:
“Even if you think you’re in private, that’s never an excuse to be disrespectful or racist.”
Engagement remained high throughout the day, with students openly sharing their views and asking thoughtful questions. The workshop delved deeper into how racism is defined, the influence of language and media, and the ways misinformation and hate speech can escalate harm. With racist incidents continuing to rise across the UK, these discussions felt especially timely—echoing Nelson Mandela’s belief that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
A teacher at Longbenton High School, Glen Bowman, shared their reflections on the day, noting that the workshops were engaging, thought-provoking, and pitched perfectly for secondary students. They added:
“The use of real-life stories, interactive discussions, and honest dialogue helped our students gain a far greater understanding of how racism can affect individuals and communities—and, importantly, how they can be part of positive change.”
“As a school, we are committed to promoting inclusion and respect for all, and Show Racism the Red Card have been incredible partners in supporting that mission.”
The North East Team also spoke with Mr Edge, another teacher at Longbenton High School, who reflected on the longer-term impact he hopes the session will have:
“We’re all one community. It doesn’t matter about skin colour or background, if we work together as one family, we can all stick together.”
He noted that students had a powerful moment of realisation when learning the facts about immigration, housing, and jobs. With misinformation often circulating in the wider community, hearing accurate information from an external organisation like SRTRC helped students broaden their understanding and challenge assumptions.
If your school is interested in booking an educational workshop with us, please get in touch.