ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

(please read alongside the PCSB online via website with guides, Working together to safeguard children 2015 and Keeping children safe in Education DfE )

Rationale

The values and beliefs underlying the policy are as follows:

·  All bulling is unacceptable, regardless of how it is delivered or what excuses are given to justify it.

·  The school recognises the detrimental effect of bullying upon children who may be subjected to bullying.

·  Perpetrators and victims of bulling will be treated in a supportive and appropriate manner

School objectives

·  To recognise everyone’s right to be protected from all forms of emotional physical verbal and sexual abuse.

·  To work to produce a safe and secure environment where all children can learn without anxiety

·  To reduce and eradicate wherever possible incidences in which children are subjected to bullying in any form.

·  To establish appropriate means of support following an incident of bullying.

·  To ensure all children, staff & parents are aware of the policy and fulfil their obligations to it.

·  To meet any legal obligations which rest with the school.

Definition of bullying

“Bullying is behaviour which can be defined as the repeated attack, physical, psychological, social or verbal, by those in a position of power, which is formally or situationally defined on those who are powerless to resist, with the intention of causing distress for their own gain or gratification “ Besag 1989

Persons covered by this Policy

All children and staff.

Actions to Combat Bullying

·  Copy of the anti-bullying policy to be available to parents.

·  Good communication with parents to be maintained through regular news letters.

·  Meeting for parents with staff or Headteacher where there are concerns.

·  Polices for behaviour/anti-bullying to be part of the induction programme.

·  School assemblies to include aspects of social behaviour.

·  Social and friendship skills taught through PSHE curriculum

·  SEAL curriculum to be used to teach social and emotional curriculum

·  Children to be taught to assert themselves in positive ways and to know they can report incidents of suspected bullying confident that it will be investigated.

·  All children to be familiar with and understand the Golden Rules of the school.

·  Children to be adequately supervised at all times.

·  Use of teachers and assistants at playtime to maintain a high level of supervision.

·  At lunchtime there will be a minimum of two assistants in the playground.

·  Children will be supervised when moving around the school in large groups.

·  Children will not be left unattended in a classroom.

·  Staff will observe good time keeping so that children are not left unattended anywhere in the school once a session has begun.

Individual Responsibilities

Staff will respond calmly and consistently to accusations and protect all the parties concerned while issues are resolved. The child who may have been bullied should be made to feel safe and put into a secure environment where the incident can be reported in confidence.

Staff will be aware that it may seem quite natural when presented with allegations of bullying to slip into private mode and attempt to “get to the bottom of things” and “identify the culprit”. This is likely to be a relatively fruitless exercise; unsuccessful, and unhelpful to the bullied person. It may also infringe child protection principles in that it may incur additional emotional stress for the bullied child.

Procedures of dealing with a suspected case of Bullying

Staff

Staff to be available and provide immediate support.

1.  Listen to both sides.

2.  Establish if this is an isolated incident or one of a series of ongoing incidents.

3.  Check out the allegations and talk to staff at the scene of the incident.

4.  Complete a concern form. Record any meetings that take place. Confidential notes kept in HT room.

5.  Headteacher, class teacher or relevant adult to call or speak to parents of child who is being bullied as well as those of the perpetrator following the incident.

6.  Classteacher, and relevant adults and Headteacher to monitor the situation and ensure review of situation is arranged within an agreed time.

Children

Tell an adult whenever they feel someone is upsetting them/making them feel afraid

Parents

If your child is being bullied:

1.  Encourage your child to talk about it, but be patient as she or he may be distressed.

2.  Stay calm but show that you are supportive.

3.  Reassure your child that you are sympathetic and will do something about it.

4.  Explain that unkind things may happen to most people at some time and talking to people about it helps.

5.  Try to help him or her to see the difficulty as something that can be solved.

6.  Ask your child if they can see ways of changing things.

7.  Talk to staff at your child’s school about the bullying and work with them to improve the situation.

8.  Help him or her to develop coping strategies.

Role of Headteacher

To implement the school policy and ensure all staff are aware of it and know how to deal with incidents

To report to the governors on the effectiveness of the anti bullying policy.

To ensure children know bullying is wrong and is unacceptable.

To ensure all staff have training to deal with incidents of bullying.

To set the climate of mutual support & praise within the school, making bullying less likely.

Role of adults in the school

School values are transmitted through the ‘hidden curriculum’ as well as through the lessons on the timetable and all adults have a vital role for positive behaviour.

To include:

·  Showing respect for every child as an individual

·  Being aware of vulnerable children

·  Criticising behaviour rather than the child

·  Avoiding having favourites

·  Seen to be fair

·  Avoiding labelling

·  Having high expectations of children

·  Avoid any references to other members of the family (‘just like your brother’)

·  Never giving children ammunition to use against each other

Role of parents

·  Parents who are concerned their child may be a victim of bullying, or who suspect that their child may be the perpetrator of bullying, should contact their class teacher immediately.

·  Stressing to children the importance of sociable behaviour

·  Signing and supporting the home school contract

·  Actively endorsing and supporting this policy

Role of Governors

The Governors support the Headteacher in all attempts to eliminate bullying form the school and take any cases of bullying very seriously.

The Governors monitor the policy regularly through liaison with the Head.

The Governing body responds within ten days to any request from a parent with a child at the school to investigate incidents of bullying. The Headteacher will be required to report back to the governors.

Evaluation Procedures

The following standards will be used as a means of evaluation the success of the policy.

·  Number of reported incidents monitored termly by Headteacher.

·  Number of parent meetings held related to allegations of bullying recorded on concern forms.

·  Any marked improvement in a child’s performance which may be confidently regarded to have arisen due to the eradication of bullying behaviour.

Policy Ownership and Responsibilities

·  Ultimate responsibility for implementation of Policy rests with Headteacher but staff, children and parents will be encouraged to play an active part in the success of the policy.

·  Governors will annually review all policies concerned with children’s behaviour and welfare.

·  Strategic Management Team will inform the governing body of any serious issues.

Policy reviewed June 2016

Miss V Page

Meeting / phone call record

Date of meeting / phone call : / Child’s name
People present at the meeting / had discussions via the telephone
(delete as appropriate)
Purpose of meeting
Information shared / Issues discussed
Action required / Person responsible

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