PUPILS involved in bullying at The Chase could be offered anger management courses and counselling.

The school is currently reviewing its anti-bullying policy and plans to introduce the new measures from September.

It hopes to secure cash from Government initiative The Children's Fund, which recently funded an inquiry into bullying at the school, to pay for counsellors and training.

It will also work with the police to ensure the measures are successful outside school.

Headteacher Kevin Peck said the school's policy on bullying had not been reviewed since he started at the school three years ago.

He said he hoped that offering counselling and anger management would benefit both bullies and their victims.

"Restorative justice tries to bring home to the offender the consequences of their actions and involve them in making a compensatory action or gesture to the victim," he said,

"There is also some evidence to suggest that people who suffer from bullying become bullies themselves, so the idea is to make sure that more work is done with the victims to make sure they are satisfied with the outcome."

Mr Peck stressed that The Chase did not have a greater problem with bullying than any other school.

"Every school in the country has a problem with bullying and anyone that claims it doesn't is telling a lie," he said.

"Bullying is no more a problem here than anywhere and we are working to address it."