- Prince William, 35, and rapper visited Ark Burlington Danes Academy in Shepherd’s Bush, west London
- Royal will meet with social media influencers to discuss new code of conduct
- Academy temporarily hosted pupils whose school was closed after Grenfell
Children at a west London school had surprise visitors in the form of Prince William and Professor Green this morning, as they joined an assembly on cyberbullying.
Ark Burlington Danes Academy a school for more than 1,000 eleven to 18-year-olds welcomed the royal and the rapper to the assembly hosted by YouTuber Dan Howell.
Pupils were joined by students from Kensington Aldridge Academy (KAA) who were temporarily hosted at the school when it had to close in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.
During the assembly, William will meet with social media influencers and young people who’ve been working on the campaign for ‘Stop Speak Support’, a new digital code of conduct launched by the Royal Foundation’s Taskforce on Cyberbullying.
The campaign aims to help young people navigate life online and support them in responding to cyberbullying.
Children at a west London school had a surprise visitor in the form of Prince William this morning, as he joined an assembly on cyberbullying
The royal and the rapper got a rapturous reception from hundreds of pupils at the Ark Burlington Danes Academy
School principal Mr Ribton said ‘Bullying and inappropriate behaviour over the internet is a very real part of young people’s lives today.
‘It is sad that what ought to be a force for good in terms of connectivity, community and sharing can often be wrongly perceived by some as a “safe” place to be abusive or make threats.
‘Inevitably it is schools that have to sort out the issues, support pupils and raise awareness of online safety. Parents should regularly check their children’s online activity, be clear about what is unacceptable behaviour and be frank about the dangers.’
He added: Ark Burlington Danes Academy works closely with counsellors and Place2Be to support pupils’ mental wellbeing, it is very much at the heart of our culture. It is additionally addressed in PSHCE lessons.
‘By giving up classrooms, offering other spaces and daily moral support Ark BDA has closely supported Kensington Aldridge Academy following the Grenfell Tower fire. KAA has been temporarily relocated next door and is still using BDA facilities.’
The pair joined YouTuber Daniel Howell for a Q&A about issues surrounding cyberbullying