Will Poulter Instagram – As over 10 million children make the return to school this week, new research from anti-bullying charity The Diana Award @antibullyingpro , reveals 65% of children are scared of going back because they have been bullied. The shocking data comes as half of the children polled said the thought of returning to school makes them anxious, while 33% said it made them want to cry. More than three quarters of young students say they have been bullied at some stage in the past, with 69% suffering from teasing or name calling. Of the students polled, 42% agree their school is not effective at stopping bullying. It has driven almost half of parents to consider changing schools due to the torment their children suffer. Over a quarter of parents have thought of homeschooling as an alternative and nearly one in five have considered simply not sending them back. It’s high time we stopped overlooking the issue of bullying and that we recognise the importance of schools being a safe and happy place for young people during their developmental years. Follow @antibullyingpro to find out more. Become an ambassador and select your school for the antibullying programme #backtobullying #backtoschool