Anti-Bullying Policy

Anti-Bullying Policy

 

Why do we need an Anti-Bullying Policy?

 

Persistent bullying can severely inhibit a child’s ability to learn effectively. The negative aspects of bullying can have an impact on a person for his/her entire life.


This school aims to promote a happy and secure environment free from threat, harassment and any type of bullying behaviour, including racist and homophobic bullying.

 

 

1 Definition

 

1.1   Bullying is defined as ‘deliberately hurtful behaviour usually repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those bullied to defend themselves.  It can take many forms, but the main types are:

 

  • Emotional: being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding books, threatening gestures)
  • Physical: pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence
  • Racist: racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
  • Sexual: unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments
  • Homophobic: because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality
  • Verbal: name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing
  • Cyber: All areas of internet ,such as  email & internet chat room misuse
  • Mobile threats by text messaging & calls

 

1.2 The primary strategy SEAL (social and emotional aspects of learning) materials indicate that there are three key characteristics of bullying:

 

  • Bullying is ongoing. It is not the same as a conflict between two individuals or a random unprovoked aggressive act.

 

  • Bullying is deliberate and often premeditated.

 

  • Bullying is unequal: it involves a power imbalance (this can result from size, number, higher status or as a result of having access to limited resources).

 

2 Aims and objectives

 

2.1 Bullying is wrong and damages individual children. We therefore do all we can to prevent it, by developing a school ethos in which bullying is regarded as unacceptable.

 

2.2 We aim, as a school, to produce a safe and secure environment where all can learn without anxiety.

 

2.3 This policy aims to produce a consistent school response to any bullying incidents that may occur.

 

2.4 We aim to make all those connected with the school aware of our opposition to bullying, (through participation in events like anti-bullying week) and we make clear each person’s responsibilities with regard to the eradication of bullying in our school.

 

 

 

3 The role of Governors

 

3.1 The governing body supports the Headteacher in all attempts to eliminate bullying from our school. The governing body will not condone any bullying at all in our school, and any incidents of bullying that do occur will be taken very seriously, and dealt with appropriately.

 

3.2 The governors require the Headteacher to keep accurate records of all incidents of bullying, and to report to the governors on request about the effectiveness of school anti-bullying strategies. If the bullying involves a racial element this information is included on the termly return to the LA.

 

3.3 A parent who is dissatisfied with the way the school has dealt with a bullying incident can ask the Chair of Governors to look into the matter. In all cases the governing body notifies the Headteacher, and asks him/her to conduct an investigation into the case, and to report back to a representative of the governing body. If a parent is unsatisfied with the response they should consult the school’s complaints procedure which is available from the school office or on the school’s website.

 

4 The Role of the Headteacher

 

4.1 It is the responsibility of the Headteacher to implement the school anti-bullying strategy, and to ensure that all staff (both teaching and non-teaching) are aware of the school policy, and know how to identify and deal with incidents of bullying. The Headteacher reports to the Governing Body about the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy on request.

 

4.2 The Headteacher ensures that all children know that bullying is wrong, and that it is unacceptable behaviour in this school. The Headteacher draws the attention of children to this fact at suitable moments. For example, if an incident occurs, the Headteacher may decide to use an assembly as the forum in which to discuss with other children why this behaviour was wrong, and why a pupil is being punished. Anti bullying week in the last week in November is a scheduled opportunity to explore this problem and is part of the school’s work in SEAL (social and emotional aspects of learning).

 

4.3 The Headteacher ensures that all staff, including lunchtime staff, receive sufficient training to be equipped to identify and deal with all incidents of bullying.

5 The role of the teacher and support staff

 

5.1 Members of staff in our school take all forms of bullying seriously, and seek to prevent it from taking place.

 

5.2 Incidents of bullying, and other serious unacceptable behaviour are reported to the Head or Deputy Headteacher and noted in the school’s incident book. If teachers witness an act of bullying, they will either investigate it themselves or refer it to the Headteacher/Deputy Headteacher. Teachers and support staff do all they can to support the child who is being bullied. If a child is being bullied over a period of time, then, after consultation with the Headteacher/Deputy Headteacher, the teacher informs the child’s parents.

 

5.3 When any bullying taking place between members of a class , the teacher will deal with the issue immediately. This may involve counselling and support for the victim of the bullying, and punishment for the child who has carried out the bullying. Time is spent talking to the child who has bullied: explaining why his/her action was wrong, and that child is encouraged to change his/her behaviour in future. If a child is repeatedly involved in bullying other children, the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and Special Needs Coordinator are informed. We then invite the child’s parents into the school to discuss the situation and sometime facilitate meetings between the parents of both children involved. In more extreme cases, for example where these initial discussions have proven ineffective, the Headteacher may contact external support agencies, such as Social Services.

 

5.4 Teachers use a range of methods to help prevent bullying and to establish a climate of trust and respect for all. They use circle time, stories etc., within the formal curriculum, to help pupils understand the feelings of bullied children, and to practise the restraint required to avoid lapsing into bullying behaviour. Circle time is used to praise, reward and celebrate the success of all children, and thus to help create a positive atmosphere.

 

6 The role of parents

 

6.1 Parents who are concerned that their child might be being bullied, or who suspect that their child may be the perpetrator of bullying, should contact their child’s class teacher immediately. If they are not satisfied with the response, they should contact the Headteacher. If they remain dissatisfied, they should follow the school’s complaints procedure detailed on the school website.

 

6.2 Parents have a responsibility to support the school’s anti-bullying policy, actively encouraging their child to be a positive member of the school.

 

7 The role of pupils

 

7.1 Pupils are encouraged to tell anybody they trust if they are being bullied, and if the bullying continues, they must keep on letting people know.

 

7.2 In class discussions and assemblies, pupils are invited to tell us their views about a range of school issues, including bullying.

 

 

 

 

 

8. Strategy for dealing with bullying

 

8.1  The following is a list of actions available to staff depending on the perceived seriousness of the situation. The emphasis is always on a caring, listening approach as people who bully are often victims too.

 

  • First step is for staff to use agreed ‘Seven Steps Solution’ (LA recommended, see appendix)

 

8.2  If this strategy does not appear to be working the following steps will apply:

 

  • Discussions at length with the victim. This will require patience and understanding. Remember – Listen – Believe – Act.

 

  • Identify the person/people who are bullying. Obtain witnesses if possible. Advise the Headteacher.

 

  • Discussions with the person/people who are bullying. Confront them with the details and ask them to tell the truth about the situation/incident. Make it clear that bullying is not acceptable at Mab’s Cross Primary School.

 

  • If they admit to the actions then follow the procedure outlined below and in the Whole School Behaviour Policy.

 

  • If they do not own up, investigate further. If it is clear that they are not telling the truth, continue with the procedure. People usually own up if presented with all the facts.

 

  • Separate discussions with parents of bully and victim.
  • Sanctions for the bully may include withdrawal from favoured activities, loss of playtimes, exclusion from school during lunchtimes, exclusion from school, depending on the perceived severity of the incident(s)

 

  • Continue monitoring the situation by observing at playtimes/lunchtimes and having discussions with victim to ensure no repetition

 

  • As the behaviour of the person who is bullying improves, then favoured activities etc can be reinstated, and they should be praised for good behaviour. This will rebuild their self-esteem, which may have been damaged after being caught bullying, or could have been low anyway, hence the bullying

 

9  In order to identify incidents of bullying and the identities of people who bully, at Mab’s Cross Community Primary School we will do the following (see also signs and symptoms in appendix 1);

 

  • Watch for early signs of distress in pupils
  • Listen, believe, act
  • Posters to be displayed in school encouraging pupils to tell
  • The Childline telephone number to be displayed clearly in school
  • P.S.H.E. & C work to support our Anti-Bullying strategy

10 Monitoring and review

 

10.1 This policy is monitored on a day-to-day basis by the Headteacher, who reports to governors on request about the effectiveness of the policy.

 

10.2 This anti-bullying policy is the governors’ responsibility, and they review its effectiveness annually. They do this by examining the school’s incident file, where incidents of bullying are recorded that have been brought to the Headteacher’s/Deputy Headteacher’s attention are logged. Governors analyse information for patterns of people, places or groups. They look out in particular for racist bullying, or bullying directed at children with disabilities or special educational need.

 

 

 

SS/MW 3.10

 

 

To be reviewed 3.12

 

APPENDIX 1

 

 

SIGNS and SYMPTOMS

 

The following signs MAY suggest that a pupil has been bullied and that the situation warrants investigation:

 

  • Unwillingness to attend School/truancy
  • Anxiety about travelling to and from School/avoiding regular travelling times
  • Underachievement
  • Loss of concentration/enthusiasm/interest in School/changed behaviour
  • Repeated non specific reasons for Surgery visits – headache/stomach ache
  • Unexplained changes in mood especially before returning to School after
  • holidays/weekends
  • Physical signs of anxiety – stammering/nightmares/sleep difficulty/loss of
  • appetite/nausea/withdrawal
  • Physical bruising/torn clothes
  • Loss of self esteem/confidence/mood swings
  • Books torn or destroyed/missing possessions
  • Reluctance to say what is wrong

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX 2

 

SEVEN STEPS SOLUTION

 

When bullying has been observed or reported then the following steps can be taken:

 

Step One – meet with the victim

 

When the teacher finds out that bullying has happened she starts by talking to the victim about his/her feelings. She does not question the child about the incidents but she does need to know who was involved. Ask the victim to write about their feelings in a poem or through a drawing but ask them if there is anything they don’t want disclosed.

 

Step Two – convene a meeting with the people involved

 

The teacher arranges to meet with the group of pupils who have been involved. This will include some bystanders and colluders and even friends of the victim who joined in but did not initiate the bullying. We find that a group of six to eight young people works well. It is important to include youngsters who will respond positively to your requests.

 

Step Three – explain the problem

 

She tells them about the way the victim is feeling and might use his poem, piece of writing or a drawing to emphasise his distress. At no time does she discuss the details of the incidents or accuse those involved.

 

Step Four – share responsibility

 

The teacher does not attribute fault but states that she knows that the group are responsible for the way the victim feels and can do something about it to improve the situation.

 

Step Five – ask the group for their ideas

 

Each member of the group is encouraged to suggest a way in which the victim could be helped to feel happier. The teacher gives some positive responses but she does not go on to extract a promise of improved behaviour e.g. I will walk to school with him: I will sit by him in class.

 

 

Step Six – leave it up to them

 

The teacher ends the meeting by passing over the responsibility to the group to solve the problem. She arranges to meet with them again individually to see how things are going.

 

Step Seven – meet them again

 

About a week later the teacher discusses with each student individually, including the victim, how things have been going. This allows the teacher to monitor the bullying and keeps young people involved in the process.

 

NOTE: The victim and bully/bullies should not be drawn together in a meeting.