Anti-Bullying Policy

Introduction

The five outcomes found within the Every Child Matters framework will be evident in the distinctive ethos of our school. Being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, and making a positive contribution to our school community and beyond are particularly important aspects of our children’s schooling. These aspects will only be achieved if our children feel secure within a fair and consistently applied and positively framed approach to behaviour and discipline. Bullying will not be tolerated and children’s concerns in this area will be listened to and acted upon.

This policy is based upon updated guidance provided in “Bullying: Don’t Suffer in Silence” (DfES 2002). It is to work in conjunction with the school’s broader Behaviour Policy as the effective operation of this will both prevent and treat possible incidences of bullying. Many of the sanctions used in day-to-day behaviour management will apply to bullying. However, the key issue with bullying is that it has to be stopped.

  • 1. Values Statement
    • 1.1 Borough Green School does not accept or condone any form of bullying. We believe that the safety and happiness of everyone in our school is fundamentally important to the on-going and long-term success of our pupils and our school. Effective learning and high levels of emotional security will only be achieved within an environment that is safe and secure for pupils, staff and parents.
    • 1.2 We accept that bullying occurs in all schools at some time. However, we believe that direct action, consistently applied according to agreed procedures, will be effective in both prevention and cure of bullying. We also believe that promoting positive behaviour and dealing with bullying are issues more effectively tackled with the support and involvement of parents.
    • 1.3 Through the taught curriculum and through the positive ethos and application of our Behaviour Policy we aim to promote, support and reward good behaviour. Through structured PSHE activities we will provide opportunities for children to consider and discuss the issues involved and then provide possible strategies and guidance for dealing with bullying.
    • 1.4 We believe that we are responsible for supporting all children in their academic and personal/social development. We are committed to working positively with a broad range of children. However, as a last resort we will use the appropriate period of exclusion of any pupil(s) in order to safeguard everyone’s well-being.
  • 2. Bullying Defined

    • For bad behaviour to be judged as bullying three elements need be apparent:

    1. It is deliberately hurtful behaviour.
    2. It is repeated often over a period of time.
    3. It is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves.
  • 3. Bullying Actions

    • Bullying can take many forms but the main types are:

    1. Physical - hitting, kicking, taking belongings, damaging someone’s property
    2. Verbal - name calling, insulting, making offensive remarks. (Name-calling is the most common direct form. This may be because of individual characteristics, but pupils can be called nasty names because of their ethnic origin, nationality or colour; sexual orientation; or some form of disability. The school has a separate and statutory Race Equality Policy)
    3. Indirect - spreading nasty stories about someone, exclusion from social groups, being made the subject of malicious rumours.
    4. Cyberbullying - the use of email, internet chat rooms, text messaging or any other electronic means by which bullying, malicious or threatening and abusive messages can be sent.
  • 4. Bullied Pupils

    • Any child can be bullied, and although none of these characteristics can excuse it, certain factors can make bullying more likely:

    1. lacking close friends in school.
    2. being shy.
    3. an over-protective family environment.
    4. being from a different racial or ethnic group to the majority.
    5. being different in some obvious respect - such as stammering.
    6. having Special Educational Needs or a disability.
    7. behaving inappropriately, intruding or being a ‘nuisance’.
    8. possessing expensive accessories such as mobile phones or computer games.
  • 5. The Risks of Bullying to the Victims
    1. Victims may be reluctant to attend school and are often absent.
    2. They may be more anxious and insecure than others, having fewer friends and often feeling unhappy and lonely.
    3. Victims can suffer from low self-esteem and negative self-image, looking upon themselves as failures - feeling stupid, ashamed and unattractive.
  • 6. Symptoms Sometimes Shown by Victims
    • 6.1 Victims of bullying may present a variety of symptoms including:
      1. fits, faints, vomiting, limb pains, paralysis, hyperventilation, visual symptoms, headaches, stomach aches, bed-wetting, sleeping difficulties and sadness.
    • 6.2 Being bullied may lead to:
      1. depression or, in the most serious cases, attempted suicide. It may lead to anxiety, depression, loneliness and lack of trust in adult life.
  • 7. Procedures
    • 7.1 Most behaviour issues will be dealt with effectively through the consistent operation of our Behaviour Policy. However, the following key points apply in our dealings with suspected bullying:
      1. we never ignore suspected bullying
      2. we don’t make premature assumptions
      3. we listen carefully to all accounts - several pupils saying the same does not necessarily mean they are telling the truth
      4. we adopt a problem-solving approach which moves pupils on from justifying themselves
      5. we follow-up repeatedly, checking bullying has not resumed
      6. we complete the Kent model “Anti-Bullying Incident Monitoring Form”.
    • 7.2 Parents should be involved at an early stage in which any persistent bad behaviour is involved.
  • 8. Points of Contact for Parents

    • If parents have any concerns about possible bullying then they should contact the following:

      FIRST - The class teacher

      Should the situation not be resolved they should then contact:

      SECOND - Mrs Moat (KS1 Leader) (Infant (Key Stage 1) children)

      Mrs Sandberg (Deputy) (Junior (Key Stage 2) children)

      Should the situation still not be resolved parents should then contact:

      THIRD - Mr Gorst (Headteacher)

  • 9. Record Keeping
    • 9.1 The Kent model Anti-Bullying Incident Monitoring Form will be completed and details passed to KCC as part of their county-wide anti-bullying strategy.
    • 9.2 An essential part of effective behaviour management is the communication of information both between staff and between school and home.
    • 9.3 Brief written records will be kept of serious incidents, of interviews with parents and of the school’s response. Initially, these will be kept by class teachers with a copy being given to the Headteacher.
    • 9.4 Written records will be kept in pupils’ individual folders, which can be made available for parents to read.
    • 9.5 All written records must be signed and dated.

This policy will be reviewed annually by staff and the governors’ Curriculum Committee.

(First published September 2004)
Reviewed and amended May06
Reviewed and amended March 07