Perth and Kinross schools recorded 285 incidents of bullying last year.
Crieff High School, which was the subject of claims of widespread sexual harassment among pupils earlier this year, reported the most incidents, with 62.
It was followed by Kinross High School, 57, and Bertha Park High School, in Perth, with 47.
Breadalbane Academy was the only secondary which did not make a report of bullying.
Out of 70 primary schools across the region, 13 reported bullying, with the most recorded incidents at Braco, 6, Kinross, 5, and Rattray, 5.
We obtained these statistics through a freedom of information request to Angus Council, and are publishing them during anti-bullying week.
How many bullying incidents did Perth and Kinross schools record?
Overall, the number of incidents recorded was significantly higher than the 220 in 2018/19, the last year when schools were not closed for a period by the pandemic.
Claims that sexual harassment, racism and homophobia are “rife” in Crieff High School, made by an S5 pupil in February, were later dismissed by inspectors who concluded that while some improvements were needed there was no “prevailing culture” of bullying.
‘Zero tolerance’
Perth and Kinross Council said it has a zero-tolerance approach to bullying in schools, and urges parents and pupils to report it where it does happen.
A spokesperson said: “We have an anti-bullying strategy in place and all of our schools actively work to reduce bullying and address concerns through a range of approaches and in response to the context of each incident.
“Each school is different but we are committed to tackling bullying in all of our settings. We can promise all children, young people and their parents and carers that each incident they raise with us will be treated seriously and compassionately.”
Read our bullying investigation
Earlier this year, we published a special investigation into bullying in schools.
We told victims’ harrowing stories and offered advice on how to help if your child was affected.
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- Bullying advice: How to help children who are being bullied
- How to report bullying to schools and the police
- Mum says alleged assault of her 5-year-old son shows bullying happens at any age
- Relentless bullying makes Autistic Angus teen pull her own hair out and say she wants to die
- Traumatised Perthshire teen ‘hid in classrooms’ while bullies who pushed her down stairs faced ‘minimal punishment’
- REBECCA McCURDY: School bullies told me I’d be nothing – but look at me now
- OPINION: I attempted suicide after years of bullying – schools need to take it seriously
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