Pupils report bullying and abuse on journeys to school

Pupils at a Kent school have said they do not want to make bus journeys to and from school alone, due to bullying and anti-social behaviour.

More than 200 students at Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar reported behaviour that made them feel unsafe on their journeys, with many reports relating to sexist or misogynistic behaviour, according to a school survey.

Year 8 students Nuala and Thalia told BBC Politics South East that bus journeys made them feel anxious and scared.

Bus companies Arriva and Stagecoach said the safety of passengers was a priority and that they worked closely with schools and police to act when incidents occured.

Nuala and Thalia said others on the bus had mocked them and called them names. On one occasion, they said they believed they were being filmed by other bus users, while citing vaping as another issue.

They said the experiences sometimes made them want to get off the bus and wait for the next one.

After hearing similar accounts from students, headteacher Katie Marchant and her staff surveyed their pupils.

More than 200 responses revealed widespread reports of bullying and sexist behaviour on the journey, whether walking or travelling by train or bus.

"One of our pupils had drinks cans thrown at her head," Marchant said.

She added that there had been instances of "racist abuse", and one pupil said they were "forced to watch pornography on someone else's phone".

The school also started an On My Way campaign to give pupils a space to report incidents and began working with neighbouring schools, the council and bus operators, Marchant added.

Data from the Department for Education (DfE) showed half of girls reported hearing misogynistic comments from other pupils during a single week at school in May this year.

A DfE spokesperson said: "These incidents are appalling. No girl should ever have to endure harassment, abuse or intimidation on her journey to and from school and tackling misogyny wherever it occurs is a priority for this government."

A spokesperson for bus company Arriva South, one of the companies which operates in the Tunbridge Wells area, said: "We take any report of bullying or anti-social behaviour on our buses seriously.

"We work closely with schools and the police to support action where incidents occur."

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: "The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our top priority.

"When concerns are raised, we work closely with local schools, colleges and our operational teams to investigate incidents and take appropriate action."

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.