POLICY FOR DEALING WITH

BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

WHY WE MUST DEAL WITH BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

·         “When pupils are bullied, their lives are made miserable. They may suffer injury. They may cease to attend school. They will lose self-confidence and self-esteem and this can continue into adulthood.

·         In such a state, such pupils are likely to be affected in their concentration and learning, assuming that they continue to attend school.

·         Unchallenged bullying may suggest to others that bullying is a quick and effective way of achieving what they want, whilst those bullied feel let down by adults, who seem to condone unacceptable behaviour.

·         Whilst no school can eliminate bullying, both parents and pupils will be reassured by a school which demonstrates that it responds quickly, positively and effectively to bullying.”

Taken from DFE Guidelines on bullying behaviour-“DFE: Bullying Guidance for Schools “Don’t Suffer in Silence”.

Definitions of Bullying

Coppull Primary School and Nursery definition of bullying

Bullying is the wilful, conscious desire to hurt or threaten or frighten someone else, by a pupil who has some sort of power over the victim. This power might be due to greater physical strength (abused when an older child bullies a younger one), or greater number (abused if a gang of pupils bully a single child).

Government guidance

There is no legal definition of bullying.

However, it’s usually defined as behaviour that is:

• repeated
• intended to hurt someone either physically or emotionally
• often aimed at certain groups, for example because of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation

It takes many forms and can include:

• Physical assault
• Teasing
• Making threats
• Name calling
• Cyberbullying - bullying via mobile phone or online (for example email, social networks and instant messenger)
• Homophobic, sexual harassment and harm, peer on peer abuse, sexist, racist
• Exploitation
• Radicalisation

https://www.gov.uk/bullying-at-school/bullying-a-definition

The following definition is meant to be read out to children-

“A child is being bullied, or picked on, when another pupil or group of pupils say nasty things to him or her. It is also bullying when a pupil is hit, kicked, threatened, locked inside a room, sent nasty notes, when no-one ever talks to them and things like that. These things can happen frequently and it is difficult for the pupil being bullied to defend themselves. It is also bullying when a pupil is teased repeatedly in a nasty way.

However if two pupils of equal power or strength have an occasional fight or quarrel, this is not bullying.”

SCHOOL AIMS AND OBJECTIVES WITH REGARD TO BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

1.       To provide a school environment where all members of the school community feel safe and valued.

2.       To involve all members of the school community (including parents) in promoting this safe environment.

3.       To engender a “Speaking out” culture that encourages the reporting of bullying incidents by victims, and others who are aware that it is happening.

4.       To ensure that all incidents are promptly followed up in a fair and consistent way.

5.       To ensure that there are clear, understood and known procedures for both reporting incidents and for following them up.

6.       To overtly teach and promote strong anti-bullying values and strategies for dealing with bullying incidents.

7.       To help victims of bullying behaviour through counselling and support in relation to the specific incident, and also ways to avoid becoming the victim of bullying incidents in the future.

8.       To help bullies modify their behaviour and to avoid being involved in bullying behaviour in the future.

STRATEGIES TO PREVENT BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

1.       Promoting a positive school ethos that:-

·         Values all pupils

·         Engenders a “speaking out” culture that encourages the reporting of bullying incidents by both victims and others who are aware that bullying is taking place.

·         Listens to pupils concerns

·         Listens to parents concerns and works in partnership with parents to resolve difficulties

·         Ensures that reported incidents are taken seriously.

·         Developing a “speaking out” culture is essential- bullying works through a fear to tell. Silence and secrecy undermine the power of the school and affirm the power of the bully.

·         It is also essential that the school is seen to act against the bullying and everyone is confident that action will always follow the reporting of an incident. (Action in relation to the bully, the victim and the confidentiality of the person reporting the incident.)

2.       Publicising the policy

·         Making the school policy public and well communicated to all involved in the school community.

·         Including the policy in induction programmes for all staff.

3.       Through the curriculum (PSHE and Values work)- the curriculum will be used to-

·         Raise awareness about bullying behaviour and the schools anti-bulling policy

·         Challenge attitudes about bullying behaviour, increase understanding for victims of bullying and build an anti-bullying ethos.

·         Increase personal and social skills which promote positive attitudes, build self-esteem and develop empathy

·         Teach children how to respond when they see bullying behaviour and how to report such incidents.

·         Teach children strategies for avoiding becoming victims of bullying behaviour.

·         Teach children how to keep themselves safe on line and what to do if they are a victim of cyber bullying

4.       Through the school organisation-

·         Using assembly times to look at bullying behaviour and how the school will respond and how pupils can respond.

·         Participating in National Anti-Bullying week each November and by revisiting it as a whole school anti-bullying themed week later in the year

·         Using the  school learning mentor to respond proactively and reactively to bullying

·         Pupils have access to anonymously report any incidents of bullying through the school’s worried@coppullprimary.lancs.sch.uk email address.

·         Ensuring adequate supervision levels during all the parts of the day.

·         Raising awareness of possible areas where bullying may occur in school and ensuring good supervision in those areas.

5.       Through staff training-

·         Ensuring all staff, teaching and support staff, have access to high quality training on all issues relating to bullying behaviour

·         Maintaining regular dialogue between all staff about particular concerns and particular actions

·         Ensuring all staff have access to the policy and procedures for dealing with bullying behaviour.

PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH INCIDENTS OF BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

1.       Dealing with the bully

Immediately

·         All reported incidents are followed up immediately by the teacher involved or the Headteacher as appropriate

·         Detailed investigations are instigated as a fact finding exercise

·         When it is ascertained that bullying has taken place, the bully is presented with evidence and an explanation is sought.

·         The bully is taken through the incident to illustrate why the behaviour is unacceptable, what alternative behaviour they could have taken, and what steps need to be taken to put right what has happened

·         The bully apologises to the victim (if appropriate at that time) and makes a commitment not to repeat the behaviour (including behaviour contracts as relevant)

·         An appropriate sanction is set in place

·         Parents are contacted to come into school to discuss the incident

·         The incident proforma is completed and the incident  is recorded in the bullying log

·         All relevant staff informed and asked to monitor the behaviour of the bully

Over the longer term

·         The relationship between the bully and the victim is closely monitored to ensure that the behaviour is not repeated.

·         The behaviour of the bully is monitored to ensure that other bullying incidents with other children do not take place

·         All bullying incidents will be recorded on the School’s CPOMS system.

·         The learning mentor will follow up with 1-1 sessions as appropriate with the  bully to talk about bullying behaviour and look at alternative ways of dealing with problems

·         Should the problem persist or become intractable, then help from external agencies will be sought (Pupil Referral Service, Educational Psychologist, Child and Family Services etc.)

2.       Dealing with the victim

Immediately

·         All reported incidents are taken seriously and an immediate fact finding investigation is put into effect by the teacher involved or the Head teacher as appropriate

·         Once the facts have been established and the bully has been dealt with, the victim and bully meet with the teacher who is dealing with the incident and an apology is sought from the bully together with a promise not to repeat the behaviour

·         The victim’s parents are contacted and asked to come into school to talk about the incident and the follow up by school

·         The victim is reassured that they have done the right thing by telling and not to be afraid- that silence is the friend of the bully

·         The  victim us reassured that the bully is being closely monitored

·         Any unseen repeat of the behaviour must be reported immediately so that it can be followed up if necessary

·         Appropriate arrangements are made for the victim to help make them feel safe

·         All staff are informed and asked to monitor that the behaviour is not repeated.

·         Referral to the learning mentor to request support for the victim

Over the longer term

·         The relationship between the victim and bully is closely monitored to ensure that the behaviour is not repeated

·         The victim is monitored to ensure that they do not become the target of other bullying behaviour from other children

·         The wellbeing team will follow up with 1-1 sessions as appropriate with the victim to talk about strategies to take if bullying behaviour occurs again, how to avoid potential bullying situations, how to develop assertive strategies

·         If the problem is causing major trauma/distress to the victim, then help from external agencies will be sought (Pupil Referral Service, Educational Psychologist, Child and Family Services etc.)

RECORDING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES

1.       CPOMS is used to record all incidents of bullying-

·         Incident form

·         Responding to complaint from a parent

·         Behaviour contract

2.       All incidents must be reported to the Headteacher and recorded in the bullying log

3.       All incidents must be reported to the parents of both the bully and the victim.

4.       The number and type of bullying behaviours are reported to the Governing Body in the Headteacher termly report.

5.       The number and type of incident is monitored to look for any emerging patterns that may need an overall response in terms of school organisation, curriculum, involving external agencies with particular children etc.

6.       All incidents must be recorded on the school’s CPOMS System

7.       All reporting and recording procedures to be kept under review.

MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POLICY ON THE INCIDENCE OF BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

1.       MONITORING

·         All records to be regularly checked to monitor :-

o   types of incident, locations, children involved

o   that records being kept and updated

o   that all staff induction includes this policy

o   that all staff use the procedures

o   that parents being kept informed

o   that all complaints dealt with

·         Pupil and parent attitude questionnaires to include questions on bullying

2.       EVALUATION

·         Are the number of incidents increasing or decreasing

·         Is the policy giving a clear message about preventing bullying behaviour

·         Are pupils more skilled in problem resolving, assertiveness etc?

·         Is there good communication between all parties e.g. teaching and support staff, parents etc.

·         Do the procedures work well for both bullies and victims

·         Has the school environment become more safe for pupils

·         Are parents and children reassured by the implementation of the policy

·         Do any aspects of the policy need updating?

3.      Monitoring and evaluation to be undertaken at least once each year by the Headteacher, Deputy and Safeguarding Lead.

The Curriculum

The aims of curriculum approach

1.       To raise awareness about bullying behaviour

·         Personal Social and Health Education lessons

·         Anti- Bullying assemblies

·         Pupil and parent attitude questionnaires

·         Defining bullying behaviour

·         Displays/information/leaflets

·         A code of conduct for the playground, school, classroom

·         Circle time sessions/quality circle process

·         Suggestion box

·         School Council

·         Liaison/visits between Primary and Secondary Schools

2.       To increase personal and social skills through PSHE lessons which promote

Friendship skills

·         How to be a friend

·         The give and take of relationships

·         Tolerance

Assertiveness skills

·         Saying and asking for what you want

Conflict solving

·         Dealing with anger

·         Expressing feelings

·         Practising negotiation

·         Diversion techniques

·         Mediation

Co-operation

·         Give and take

·         Respect

·         Feeling and responding to need

·         Empathy

Problem Solving

·         Identification

·         Analysing

·         Negotiation

·         Clarification

·         Making decisions

·         Reflection

·         Projection

·         Presenting and reviewing solutions

Coping Sills

·         Self-talk

·         Learning strategies to cope with teasing

·         Learning to say no

·         Learning strategies to manage aggression

·         Practising relaxation techniques

·         Learning to cope with stress

Communication

·         Listening to others

·         Practising verbal skills

·         Learning about non-verbal signals/body language

·         Extending literacy skills (identifying and expressing feelings and emotions, developing empathy)

Dealing with anger, learning and practising

·         Assertiveness skills

·         Problem solving

·         Conflict solving

·         Communication skills

·         Listening skills etc.

Examining Spiritual and Moral Values

·         What do I value and why

·         Who do I value and why

·         Respect for individuals

·         Compassion

3.       To build and maintain self-esteem by:

·         Circle Time activities

·         Who I am

·         What I like

·         What I am good at

·         Promoting feelings of worth and value

·         School Rewards policy

·         Good Behaviour policy

4.       To build empathy through

·         The culture in the school

·         School policies

·         Response to poetry and literature

·         Drama and role play

·         Circle Time, discussion

·         Working with others in pairs and small groups

·         Listening and responding

·         Art work

·         Story telling

·         Interviewing

·         Creative writing and personal and imaginative accounts

5.       To increase the understanding of the person who bullies and the person who is bullied by:

·         Empathy (see above)

·         Drama and role play

·         Developing tolerance

·         Learning friendship skills

·         Examining conflict

·         Developing problem solving skills

·         Developing and enhancing communication and listening skills

·         Increasing emotional literacy

·         Examining attitudes and values

PSHE and Values

Coppull Primary School has developed a set of values that are celebrated each half term.  They have been selected through a consultation with staff and are in line with our behaviour policy, aims and ethos. Our values are:

Year 1

• Autumn 1 –  Respect
• Autumn 2 –  Resilience
• Spring 1    -   Honesty
• Spring 2    -   Patience
• Summer 1 -  Happiness
• Summer 2 -  Kindness

The themes are designed to be taught one each half term, with the whole schools teaching a theme together. The assembly supports each theme and there are ideas for links to a range of curriculum areas and Circle Time.

Where to get help and advice

There are lots of organisations that provide support and advice if you’re worried about bullying:

• Anti-Bullying Alliance
• Bullying UK
• Childline
• The Diana Award
• Internet Matters
• Kidscape
• The UK Safer Internet Centre
• UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)