BUSHMILLS PRIMARY SCHOOL

ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

RATIONALE

WHY DO WE NEED AN ANTI-BULLYING POLICY?

The school embraces its responsibility to have an anti-bullying policy and fully accepts the understated rationales:

“The creation and maintenance of an orderly working environment is a pre-requisite to effective teaching and learning.”

(DENI School improvement Programme 1998)

“Children have the right to be protected from all forms of violence (physical and mental). They must be kept safe from harm and they must be given proper care by those looking after them.”

(Article 19 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)

“All schools have a pastoral responsibility towards the children in their charge and should take all reasonable steps to ensure that their welfare is safeguarded and their safety is preserved”.

(Child Protection: Pastoral Care in Schools (DENI 1999))

The Children Order 1995

The underpinning principles of the Children Order which inform the practice of teachers as well as those in other caring professions:

(i.) The child’s welfare must always be paramount

(ii.) Children have a right to be heard, to be listened to and to be taken seriously

(iii.) Parents/carers have a right to respect and should be consulted and involved in matters which concern their children.

(Reference Materials: Promoting Positive Behaviour)

WHAT IS BULLYING?

Bullying can take many forms, not all of them immediately obvious, and for the purpose of this document the school adopts the following definitions.

“Bullying is the repeated attack, physical, psychological, social or verbal in nature by those in a position of power, which is situation ally or formally defined for their own gain or gratification.”

(V Besag 1989)

“Bullying is an act of aggression causing embarrassment, pain or discomfort to someone. It can take a number of forms: physical, verbal, making gestures, extortion, and exclusion. It is an abuse of power. It can be planned and organised, or it may be unintentional. It may be perpetrated by individuals or by groups of pupils.”

(Pastoral Care in Schools-Promoting Positive Behaviour 2001)

“Bullying is the long-standing violence – physical, verbal, emotional or psychological – conducted by an individual or a group, and directed towards an individual who is not able to defend himself in the actual situation.”

(J La Fontaine 1993)

“We say a person is being bullied or picked on, when another person, or group of people, say nasty or unpleasant things to him or her. It is also bullying when a child is hit, kicked, threatened, locked inside a room, sent nasty notes, when no one ever talks to them and things like that. These things happen frequently and it is difficult for the young person to defend himself or herself. It is also bullying when a person is teased repeatedly in a nasty way. It is not bullying when two people of about the same strength have the odd fight or quarrel.”

(D Olweus 1991)

AIMS OF THE ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

· To raise awareness of bullying as a form of unacceptable behaviour with school management, teachers, pupils, parents/carers.

· To enable pupils to articulate their fears and concerns and be confident that they will receive a sympathetic and supportive response from teachers and other adults within the school community.

· To create a school ethos which encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour.

· To develop and implement strategies which are preventative in orientation, intended to minimise the likelihood of incidents of bullying behaviour taking place.

· To develop and implement a programme of support for those who are victims of bullying behaviour and for those involved in bullying behaviour.

· To develop procedures for recording and reporting incidents of bullying behaviour.

· To develop procedures for investigating and dealing with incidents of bullying behaviour.

· To develop procedures for working with and through the appropriate external agencies in countering all forms of bullying and anti-social behaviour.

· To ensure comprehensive supervision and monitoring arrangements through which all areas of school activity are kept under observation.

· To seek to influence attitudes of pupils to bullying behaviour in a positive manner through a range of curricular initiatives.

· To respond to the concerns of parents and inform them of follow-up action taken aimed at bringing the bullying to an end for the victim and the bully.

SPEAKING OUT!

Incidents of bullying behaviour love secrecy, the best way to stop bullying behaviour is by SPEAKING OUT. If a child is being bullied he/she should speak to someone they trust as soon as possible. That could be a parent, a friend, teacher or some other adult, the sooner the child speaks out the sooner the bullying will be stopped. Any parent who is concerned about bullying behaviour should contact the school as soon as possible. They may speak to the Principal/Vice Principal or class teacher, as they feel appropriate. Parents/carers will be kept fully informed of developments and they must also continue to keep in contact with the school.

DEALING WITH INCIDENTS

Supervisory Assistants: if they are made aware on bullying behaviour they should report the matter immediately to the senior supervisory assistant and the teacher on duty, who will make a note of it and in turn inform the principal.

Classroom Assistants: if they become aware of bullying behaviour will inform the class teacher, who will deal with it according to the procedures set out below, inform the principal and make a note of it.

Other Adult Staff: if they become aware of bully behaviour should inform the class teacher or principal, as they feel appropriate.

Classroom Teachers: where a classroom teacher becomes aware of bullying behaviour he/she will deal with it according to the procedures set out below, inform the principal and make a note of it in the Class Anti-Bullying Policy Notebook.

PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED

In dealing with cases of bullying behaviour the school will follow the guidance set out in paragraphs 121, 122, 125 – 127 and 128 – 131 of The Department of Education publication ‘Pastoral Care in Schools: Promoting positive Behaviour in Schools’. Hereafter referred to as “Promoting Positive Behaviour in Schools”

As appropriate the principal or class teacher will first speak to the victim of the bullying behaviour, they will listen sympathetically and take seriously what the victim has to say. “They should assure the bullied pupils that they are not in any way to blame (unless, unusually, there is good reason to believe that this is not the case), and ask them what they should like to see happening to resolve the situation – and, importantly, what they think would only make it worse. Support and protection should be promised, and agreement reached with them on an appropriate course of action.” (Promoting Positive Behaviour in Schools, para. 121).

The parents/carers will be consulted by the school in its procedures for dealing with any incident of bullying in which their child is involved and they will be kept fully informed of all developments.

Details of the incident will be entered in the Class Anti-Bullying Policy Notebook and or the School Anti-Bullying Policy Notebook as appropriate.

All bullies will be dealt with according to the school Discipline Policy and appropriate sanctions applied.

It will also be necessary to work with the bully to try to help them to change their unacceptable behaviour. Bullying behaviour will be treated the same way as any other form of behavioural difficulty, and addressed through the five stages of the Code of Practice. An appropriate teacher will in the first instance talk calmly and dispassionately with them, asking them to think about, and talk about, the implications of their behaviour for the pupil who was their target, probing for any underlying reasons, and seeking assurances that they will not be repeated.

(See also Promoting Positive Behaviour para.125)

Research has shown that a high proportion of bullies were themselves, or remain, the victims of abuse, the school must consider whether the child protection procedures need to be instigated for the bully. If it is decided that these procedures are not warranted, the school still needs to consider how best to work with the bully to change his or her behaviour. This can involve talking his or her behaviour through with the bully, to allow him or her the scope to think about and understand his/her own motives and encourage more socially acceptable behaviour. It should also involve discussion with the pupil’s parents, to help identify any relevant background information and secure their support for the remedial action to be taken. Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to move directly to Stage 2 and discuss the matter with the SENCO and to put a behaviour programme in place to address the bullying pupil’s behavioural problems.

(See also Promoting Positive Behaviour paras. 126 to 129)

All reports/incidents of bullying behaviour will be taken seriously by everyone working in the school and under NO circumstances should anyone:

· minimise its importance or ignore it;

· assume the matter will resolve itself in time;

· allow or encourage the pupils to attempt to sort things out by themselves;

· challenge or threaten the bully with physical violence;

· act in a manner which might appear aggressive and escalate the situation.

(From Promoting Positive Behaviour in Schools para. 130)

Where bullying behaviour is reported by a parent/carer the matter will be investigated promptly and thoroughly and a response made within seven working days. Where the complaint is made in writing the response will also be in writing.

PROMOTING AN ANTI-BULLYING CULTURE

Bullying behaviour is totally unacceptable in school, as in everywhere else in society. The whole school community, pupils, parents staff and governors, should aim to promote an ANTI-BULLYING CULTURE, where any incident of bullying behaviour leads to an immediate and universal outcry. Where everyone condemns the bully and supports the victim.

All pupils in Bushmills Primary School are highly valued and are listened to by caring and supportive staff, circle time and class councils give the children opportunities to speak out about anything that is troubling them. Care has been taken to ensure that all areas of the school are safe and that children are always adequately supervised.

If you have any concerns about your child’s safety of well being at school please speak to the Principal as soon as possible

Appendix 1

The entitlements and responsibilities of teachers, pupils and parents:

Entitlement of teachers within a whole school anti-bullying policy

· To teach without harassment or unwarranted disruption.

· To expect co-operation.

· To be consulted, be informed and be treated courteously.

· To have agreed rules and regulations obeyed by pupils.

Responsibilities of teachers within a whole school anti-bullying policy

· Teachers should act as role models for pupils. They have the potential to influence pupils behaviour in a positive direction by promoting relationships which are characterised by respect, tolerance and a spirit of friendship and co-operation – among and between pupils and staff.

· Teachers should be aware of signs of distress or suspected incidents of bullying – both within the classroom/teaching area and while on supervision duty around the school.

· By arriving punctually and in moving promptly between lessons teachers can reduce the possibility of bullying behaviour.

· In dealing with a particular incident of bullying, teachers should take steps to help the victim and to remove sources of distress without placing the victim at further risk.

· Teachers should, at the earliest opportunity, report suspects or actual incidents of bullying to the appropriate member of staff who will initiate necessary follow-up action.

Entitlement of pupils within a whole school anti-bullying policy

· A communication right; the right to express oneself, share ideas, ask questions and be listened to.

· A treatment right; the right to respect from others, to be treated fairly and equally.

· A safety right; the right to be free from intimidation in school and classroom, to be safe and secure and to have property protected.

· A problem solving right: the right to expect rational settlement of problems and to be able to be able to tell their sides of the story in a dispute.

· A learning right; the right to learn, without interference, to the level of their own ability in a secure working environment.

Responsibilities of pupils within a whole school anti-bullying policy

· Pupils should be aware of the serious effect which bullying can have on a victim and should refuse to become involved in any bullying situation.

· If a pupil is present when bullying of another pupil occurs he should report the incident to any member of the teaching staff.

· A pupil who is being bullied should either (a) report the matter to any member of the teaching staff; (b) report the matter to his/her Parent/Carer, who should then contact a member of the teaching staff.

Responsibilities of parents/carers within a whole school anti-bullying policy

· Parents/Carers should watch for common signs of bullying in their child, losing interest in school and becoming unwilling to attend school, a pattern of headaches, missing equipment, requests for extra money, damaged clothing, bruising, changing usual route to school, unexplained secretiveness, sullenness or unusual outbursts of temper.

· Parents/Carers should take an interest in their child’s social life and should know his/her company.

· Parents/Carers should strongly advise their child not to retaliate but to report any incident of bullying to either a member of the teaching staff or to their Parents/Carers as a matter of urgency.

· Parents/Carers should inform the school of any cases of suspected bullying of which they become aware, even if their own child is not directly involved.

· Parents/Carers should be willing to co-operate with the school authorities if their child is involved in any incident of bullying – either as a victim or alleged bully.

Pastoral Care in Schools: Promoting Positive Behaviour: Department of Education June 2001