COUNTY education chiefs say the apparent high level of reported bullying should be treated with caution.

Cllr Chris Wells, KCC cabinet member for schools, said increased awareness of the issue and the attention anti-bullying policies received in schools could account for the figure.

He emphasised that Kent was not under-estimating the importance of tackling bullying and had recently reviewed its anti-bullying strategy.

“We have to look at the figures carefully. We have looked again at our anti-bullying policy and tightened it in discussion with schools and I hope we will see that figure come down.”

It was possible that some primary aged children might construe falling out with friends as bullying when it was actually part of the rough and tumble of the playground, he added.

The survey found that among seven-to-11-year-olds, more than half had experienced physical bullying and a third had possessions stolen or broken. Among 11-to-16-year-olds, a third of those surveyed said they had been bullied.

Of the survey’s wider findings, Cllr Wells said he was “heartened” that so many young people were positive about their lives, families and school and largely positive about their future.