Dear OFS Community,
On Monday, we kickstarted the week by unpacking a challenging subject, is banter a good thing or bad thing?
We started by agreeing that banter is good when it’s light-hearted and fun, and whilst it can include light-hearted teasing or joking exchanges between people, it needs to be between friends who know each other well enough.
It should be good-natured humour that brings us together, not something that divides us. We agreed that banter should never be offensive or hurtful, and it should allow us to learn to laugh at ourselves – a very useful life skill!
Banter can turn into bullying when the playful and light-hearted nature of the interaction crosses a line and becomes hurtful, demeaning, or offensive. Here are some ways in which banter can transform into bullying:
- Intensity and Frequency: Banter usually involves occasional, light teasing or joking. If the remarks become frequent, intense, or targeted, it can escalate into bullying.
- Intent to Harm: Banter is generally intended to be good-natured and not hurtful. If the intention behind the comments shifts to causing distress, humiliation, or hurt, it becomes bullying.
- Power Imbalance: Bullying often involves a power imbalance, where one person uses their position or influence to control or harm another. If banter exploits a power dynamic or targets someone in a vulnerable position, it may be considered bullying.
- Lack of Consent: Banter is usually consensual, with all parties involved understanding and accepting the joking nature. If someone is uncomfortable with the banter or has not consented to participate, it can turn into bullying.
- Personal Attacks: Banter should stay within the bounds of good-natured teasing. When the comments become personal attacks, targeting someone's appearance, abilities, or personal life, it transforms into bullying.
- Persistent Negative Impact: Banter is meant to be enjoyable for all involved. If someone consistently feels upset, humiliated, or threatened by the banter, it may be a sign that it has crossed into bullying territory.
- Isolation: If banter leads to the isolation of an individual, causing them to feel excluded or rejected by a group, it can be a form of bullying.
Here are a few questions that I put onto the screen to fuel conversations over the coming days and weeks...
Why does banter sometimes turn into something more unkind?
Can you read other people’s body language, do you know when they’re no longer enjoying a joke, or banter?
Why do we sometimes laugh when someone else is on the end of a joke or banter and we know they’re being hurt by it?
When a joke, or banter goes too far and starts to hurt us, why don’t we ask people to stop and say what we really feel?
I was so impressed with the comments that came through from this assembly, especially from Leon and Oscar, both members of Y6, who offered such considered, thoughtful and honest reflections – I feel confident that we have a community that is more than able to answer the questions above which tells me that we have the right answers to difficult questions; we now need the courage and strength to be kind in those situations!
Mud bath!
I’m not going to lie, it might have been easier to flip from football into rugby as the pitches were somewhat waterlogged with ball and boots sticking in the clay! Nevertheless, it was good to see all of the Yr4 boys from both schools giving their all.
Lino Cut Printing
This is an incredibly difficult form of printing as it requires strong bold designs that are very difficult to realise using lino cutters – my recollection is one of frustration as the cutters were so hard to control and occasionally led to wounds! I am so impressed with the way that Yr8 pupils have planned and executed their compositions with such control and in some cases, several colours!
Headmaster's Commendation
Congratulations to Honey – she introduced us to her 2 pet tortoises, Sun and Moon as part of a presentation to our Eco-Team. David Attenborough could not have done a better job!
Congratulations to Krish – his multicoloured lino cut of a tiger is stunning and so carefully and skillfully composed, he thoroughly deserves a Headmaster’s Commendation!
Celebrating differences through the simple act of wearing odd socks is liberating! I remember school days as being obsessed with conformity and uniform – this is more likely to create anxiety and fear! Here’s to our creativity, our ability to celebrate our differences and the liberty and freedoms that we enjoy, let’s use them well!
Tim Calvey