Efforts to curb bullying in schools are proving effective with new research showing that ten thousand fewer students are being subject to harm or intimidation, physical or otherwise.

The Department for Education announced that the findings of the second Longitudinal study of young people in England revealed that there has been a “dramatic fall in the in the number of Year 9 pupils being bullied.

When comparing data from 2013 to 2004, the survey found that 30,000 pupils had experienced bullying over the last 12 months. This represents a five per cent decrease to 40 per cent.

Additionally, 30,000 further youngsters said that they had been the victims of violent bullying over the last year, which again represented a five per cent decrease (from 18 per cent to 13 per cent).

Education secretary Nick Morgan lauded the efforts of teachers, parents, charities and youth organisations that have all contributed to this sea of change.

“No child should have to suffer the fear and victimisation of bullying,” she went on to say. “Today’s figures show that our teachers, parents and charities have made great strides in reducing bullying, which I know is the number one concern of many parents.

“But even one child bullied is one too many, so I am calling on all teachers, charities and parents to continue this moral mission and reduce bullying further.”

The MP added that there is no place for bullying in schools and the government is committed in supporting all stakeholders “on the front line” who are working hard to beat it.

“To help this we have strengthened teachers’ powers to tackle bullying and are providing more than £4 million to anti-bullying organisations that are working with schools and children to further tackle the problem,” Ms Morgan concluded.

The government has already strengthened teachers’ powers when it comes to bullying. Professionals in the sector are now able to investigate cases “beyond school gates”, to delete “inappropriate images” from devices and hand out same-day detentions.