Anti Bullying Policy

Definition

Bullying is seen as any continuing deliberate attempts to hurt, threaten or frighten another person over a period of time.

Bullying therefore occurs when there is:
  • Calling someone an insulting name
  • Making fun of someone’s looks
  • Making fun of someone’s family
  • Encouraging others to make fun of someone
  • Demanding money or favours ‘with menaces’
  • Threatening to fight or ‘beat up’ someone
  • Exclusion, deliberately, from a group
  • Homophobic bullying

Symptoms of Bullying

Victims will not always want to tell someone they are being bullied, often because of fear there will be revenge and reprisal behaviour from the bully. Staff are therefore expected to be vigilant at all times for symptoms of bullying

If a student shows one or more symptoms of bullying and if one or more staff notice the problem, then it is likely there is an issue. Symptoms include:

Emotional
Physical
Behavioural
Quiet and withdrawn Feeling ill Fantastic stories
Tearful and nervous Absence from school or lessons Hangs around with a different age group
Alone at break or lunch Personal hygiene Loss of possessions
Finds quiet and safe places Self harm Constant damage to possessions
Attention seeking Loss of weight Arriving late or early to lessons
  Change in appearance Reluctance to leave at the end of lessons
    Drop in academic standards
    Start to bully others
    Opposite behaviour

Supporting the Victim

Short Term

  • Give the victim a meeting time and place so that you can listen to him/her properly
  • Reassure the victim that he/she has done the right thing in telling you
  • Avoid promising the victim that he/she will now be safe and OK
  • Make clear you may well have to share the information in confidence if a solution is to be found
  • Start the “No Blame” approach
  • Discuss “Keeping Safe” strategies listed below

Wherever possible we will use the “No Blame” Approach

Step one: Interview the victim and explain what will happen. Ask for a poem/writing/picture that can explain their feelings; This should be within a day, if possible. Ask for names of supportive friends.
Step two: Convene a meeting of the Helpful group the next day. This should be 6-8 people, including the bully/bullies and supportive friends but NOT the victim.
Step three: At the meeting state that you have a problem to sort out and that no-one is going to be punished. Explain how the victim feels; share their poem/writing/picture.
Step four: At the meeting ask what we can do to help. Don’t go over the past; discuss the future. Ask individuals for ways they can help.
Step five: Leave it up to them. Emphasise that they are all really helpful and you are sure it will work.
Step six: Meet individuals informally to find out how it’s going.


Keeping Safe at School

  • Think of people and places which make you feel safe
  • Plan to be in safe places with people you trust
  • Do something different so you can meet new people
  • Go immediately to the Year Office or Learning Support Centre if you have trouble