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Anti-bullying policy

Introduction

Bullying is defined as deliberately hurtful behaviour which is unprovoked and repeated over a period of time where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves.  The main types of bullying are;

  • Physical (hitting, kicking, punching, theft of another’s property).
  • Verbal (name calling, racist remarks, spreading rumours).
  • Exclusion (excluding someone from social groups or discussions).
  • Cyber (all areas of internet such as e-mail & internet chat room misuse, mobile threats by text messaging & calls) – see E-safety policy.

 

Aims and Objectives

Bullying is wrong and damages individual children, pupils are encouraged to recognise how others feel and treat others how they would like to be treated.  We therefore do all we can to prevent it by developing a school ethos in which bullying is regarded as unacceptable.  We aim as a school, to produce a safe and secure environment where all can learn without anxiety;

  • All teaching and non-teaching staff, pupils, parents and governors should have a common understanding of what bullying is.
  • All governors, teaching and non-teaching staff should know what the school policy is on bullying and follow it when bullying is reported.
  • All pupils and parents should know what the school policy is on bullying and what they should do if bullying arises.
  • As a school we take bullying seriously. Pupils and parents should be assured that they would be supported when bullying is reported.
  • Bullying will not be tolerated.
  • That it will be understood that everyone needs to take responsibility for bullying.

 

The Role of the Governors

The governing body supports the Headteacher in all strategies to eliminate bullying from our school, while still recognising that it is likely to occur in school from time to time. It is the responsibility of the Headteacher to monitor and review the anti-bullying policy and its effectiveness. They require the head teacher to keep records of all bullying incidents and to report on the effectiveness of the school anti-bullying strategies where necessary.

 

The Role of Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff

It is the responsibility of every adult at The Royal School to ensure the welfare of all pupils and to take all forms of bullying seriously.  Children should be encouraged to tell if they are being bullied or suspect that somebody else is being bullied.

 

If bullying is suspected the approach we will take is;

  • Talk to the suspected victim and any witnesses.
  • Identify the bully and talk about what has happened.
  • Ensure that all incidents of bullying and procedures to be followed are recorded.
  • If appropriate apply sanctions and inform parents of the victim and bully.
  • Monitor situation to ensure that there is no repetition of the bullying and that the situation is resolved.
  • If needed request guidance from outside agencies.

If a parent is reporting the suspected bullying, the classroom teacher or Headteacher will report back on the actions that have been taken within four working days.

 

Sanctions

Pupils involved in incidents will be informed of sanctions carried out and staff associated with the pupils will also be informed.  Any child that is considered to be bullying by a staff member will be referred to the Headteacher.  The sanctions we may use are;

  • Withdrawal from playtime (which may involve writing a letter of apology).
  • Withdrawal from favoured activities.
  • Withdrawal of privileges.
  • Withdrawal from representing the school.
  • Exclusion from peers.
  • Exclusion from school.

 

The Role of the Pupil

If a child is being bullied they should;

  • Remember that your silence is the bully’s greatest weapon.
  • Tell yourself - “ I don’t deserve to be bullied and that it is wrong”.
  • Try not to show that you are upset.  It is hard but a bully thrives on someone’s fear.
  • Be proud of who you are, it is good to be individual.
  • Talk to an adult, they will take you seriously and will deal with the bullies in a way that will not make things worse for you.
  • Stay with a group of friends.
  • Be assertive and walk confidently away.
  • Remember don’t fight back it may make things worse.
  • Tell your family.

 

If you know that someone is being bullied then you should;

  • Take action!  Watching and doing nothing looks like you are on the side of the bully.  It makes the victim feel more unhappy and on their own.
  • Don’t rush over and take the bully on.
  • Tell a teacher or another member of school staff.
  • Don’t be forced to join in the bullying.
  • Do not be, or pretend to be, friends with a bully.

 

The Role of the Parent

Parents have an important part to play in our anti-bullying policy.  We ask parents to;

  • Look out for unusual behaviour in your children – e.g. they may suddenly not wish to attend school, feel ill regularly, or not complete work to their usual standard.
  • Always take an active role in your child’s education.  Enquire how their day has gone; whom have they spent their time with.
  • If you feel your child may be a victim of bullying behaviour inform the school immediately.  Your complaint will be taken seriously and appropriate action will follow.  You should expect to hear back about the action that will be taken within four working days.
  • If a child has bullied your child, please do not approach that child on the playground or involve another child to deal with the bully.  Please inform the school immediately.
  • It is important that you advise your child not to fight back.  It can make matters worse.
  • Tell your child that it is not their fault they are being bullied.
  • Reinforce the school’s policy concerning bullying and make sure that your child is not afraid to ask for help.
  • If you know your child is involved in bullying, please discuss the issues with them and inform school.  The matter will be dealt with appropriately. You should expect to hear back about the action that will be taken within four working days.

 

Monitoring and Review

The Headteacher, who will report to governors about the effectiveness of the policy on request, monitors this policy on a day-to-day basis.