REGARDING your report on the bullying of a pupil (LET, March 18), Mount Carmel Catholic High School, Accrington, strives to maintain Christian relationships in order to form a community in which the Gospel values affect attitudes and in which students and staff grow in mutual respect.

There are several strategies, both pro-active and reactive, which form the school's policy on bullying.

Prospective students are given information about expectations and procedures with regard to students being bullied or bullying during a liaison meeting with students and staff during their last year at primary school.

At the beginning of each new school year students are given a personal planner which has written information and reminders regarding expectations, rules and action to be taken in various circumstances. Within this document there is a Code of Conduct which makes specific reference to bullying.

Within the taught curriculum, PHSE and religious education programmes, the issues which surround the serious nature of bullying in its various forms, are covered in detail. This ensures that all students know what to do if they feel they are being bullied and of the consequences of indulging in bullying.

Students are encouraged to help with the preparation and presentation of their Year Assemblies. Within several of the topics, relationships, tolerance and our treatment of each other are presented as well as assemblies specifically about bullying. This encourages children to make clear statements about their views.

Additionally, students are encouraged to play a full role in the writing and reviewing of our school policy relating to bullying.

We acknowledge that despite these measures, bullying does occasionally occur and so have in place reactive strategies to enable appropriate responses to incidences of bullying.

These include the counselling of students who have been bullied and those guilty of bullying. Appropriate school sanctions are imposed upon bullies, parents are informed and reporting and recording of the incidents takes place.

We take the matter of bullying very seriously and review our policy and procedures on a regular basis.

KATRINA RYAN, headteacher, and D FORD, chairman of governors, Mount Carmel RC High School, Wordsworth Road, Accrington.