BULLYING is back on the agenda as education chiefs in North Yorkshire look at ways to beat the classroom menace.

Councillors will meet on Tuesday to look at the ways schools tackle bullying across the county.

Currently the education authority advises schools on anti-bullying policies.

There is also a bullying action charter which asks schools to sign up to a set of expectations and to work with staff, pupils and parents to create a school community where bullying is not tolerated.

Last year, 219 incidents of bullying were recorded in North Yorkshire's schools and the council is currently undertaking a full survey of pupils' perceptions in secondary schools.

This will be followed by a separate special school and primary school survey.

The questionnaire significantly includes a section on pupils' perceptions of what the council calls "vulnerable times" such as lunch and break times.

During last year's anti-bullying week, the chairman of the Commons Select Committee on Education, Barry Sheerman, visited the county as an example of good practice.

Cynthia Welbourn, corporate director for children and young people's services, said: "He saw that we are determined to do everything within our power to reduce bullying.

"We recognise that bullying can arise almost anywhere and that one instance of bullying is one too many.

"It was very encouraging to have our efforts recognised by his visit."

One of the key areas to North Yorkshire's anti-bullying strategies is the curriculum approach called Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL).

This enables pupils to reflect upon bullying and develop their own values such as care, co-operation, honesty and respect for others.

The council also has its own dedicated anti-bullying website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/antibullying This aim of the website is to provide access to the wide range of information and support available for parents and schools.

Direct links are provided to the main national "anti-bullying" websites where a range of advice and support and to key national and North Yorkshire LEA documents can be found.

There is also a helpline on 01609 538960.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday at 10.30am at County Hall, Northallerton.