Just for Governors: Bullying
0001 10:00:13:02 10:00:16:17
(narrator) In today's programme,
our team of real governors
0002 10:00:16:17 10:00:20:01
will be tackling a hypothetical
but realistic situation
0003 10:00:20:01 10:00:22:18
as it develops in a school.
0004 10:00:22:18 10:00:26:24
Today's challenging dilemma involves
an alleged incident of bullying,
0005 10:00:26:24 10:00:30:03
and the handling
of parental complaints.
0006 10:00:30:03 10:00:32:02
Meet the panel.
0007 10:00:32:02 10:00:37:04
Eunice Evans, a chair of governors,
with over 15 years' experience.
0008 10:00:37:04 10:00:41:24
Andy Child, an LEA governor
with nine years' experience.
0009 10:00:41:24 10:00:45:17
And Jim Jones, a foundation
and former parent governor
0010 10:00:45:17 10:00:49:12
with 12 years' experience,
including three as chair.
0011 10:00:49:12 10:00:52:08
Assessing the governors' performance
is Paul McGann,
0012 10:00:52:08 10:00:55:20
an education officer
with 15 years of experience
0013 10:00:55:20 10:00:57:21
supporting and training governors
0014 10:00:57:21 10:01:00:07
and troubleshooting problems
in schools.
0015 10:01:00:07 10:01:04:24
It's time to discover just how
our panel will handle the challenge.
0016 10:01:08:10 10:01:11:22
A female pupil has been
quiet and withdrawn in lessons,
0017 10:01:11:22 10:01:17:00
but she's unwilling to talk about
anything when asked by her teacher.
0018 10:01:18:05 10:01:21:13
Several weeks later,
the girl's mother informs the head
0019 10:01:21:13 10:01:26:19
that her child has become reluctant
to go to school in the mornings.
0020 10:01:26:19 10:01:30:05
The parent claims
the child must be being bullied,
0021 10:01:30:05 10:01:34:19
and questions the effectiveness
of the school's antibullying policy.
0022 10:01:36:05 10:01:37:19
The mother says
0023 10:01:37:19 10:01:41:12
it's the school's responsibility
to find out what's going on,
0024 10:01:41:12 10:01:46:11
but the girl is reluctant to give
any details to any member of staff.
0025 10:01:49:17 10:01:54:08
I think handling
parents' complaints is important,
0026 10:01:54:08 10:01:58:01
and the school does need to have
processes and procedures in place.
0027 10:01:58:01 10:02:01:07
It's who spotted this, and
whether they kept it within school,
0028 10:02:01:07 10:02:03:16
or whether they
brought the parents in early.
0029 10:02:03:16 10:02:08:00
Would a form tutor be in the
position to contact parents saying:
0030 10:02:08:00 10:02:10:00
"I'm a bit worried
about your child"?
0031 10:02:10:00 10:02:15:13
I think if the tutor
sees a serious change in a pupil,
0032 10:02:15:13 10:02:20:18
it's her duty to flag something up,
certainly to share it with someone.
0033 10:02:20:18 10:02:23:14
Maybe ask - depends
on the experience of the tutor -
0034 10:02:23:14 10:02:28:19
"Should I share this with the
parents?" Not keep it to herself.
0035 10:02:28:19 10:02:31:18
I guess this brings up how
the parents relate to the school -
0036 10:02:31:18 10:02:34:01
the parent body
communicates with the school.
0037 10:02:34:01 10:02:36:05
If you're a school
that builds barriers,
0038 10:02:36:05 10:02:39:11
you're not going to get
much contact until it's got bad.
0039 10:02:39:11 10:02:44:20
An open school will get early
contact with low-level problems,
0040 10:02:44:20 10:02:47:17
with the chance to do
something about it.
0041 10:02:47:17 10:02:51:13
Has the school told parents
how to contact them?
0042 10:02:51:13 10:02:54:22
When to phone, who to speak to,
who they'll be put through to.
0043 10:02:54:22 10:02:58:08
And you've got to be careful
not to raise expectations
0044 10:02:58:08 10:03:02:07
that a parent has instant access
to a headteacher any point in time,
0045 10:03:02:07 10:03:03:18
between eight and five.
0046 10:03:03:18 10:03:08:23
Parents should always have received
a copy of the bullying policy,
0047 10:03:08:23 10:03:12:06
which addresses what to look for,
0048 10:03:13:13 10:03:16:19
what your child may be presenting
in behaviour
0049 10:03:16:19 10:03:18:17
that could be attributed to...
0050 10:03:18:17 10:03:21:06
That could be
put into the school prospectus.
0051 10:03:21:06 10:03:26:14
It is a partnership between the
child, the parents and the school.
0052 10:03:26:14 10:03:28:22
You cannot take one element out,
0053 10:03:28:22 10:03:31:19
and the whole blame
cannot rest with just one element.
0054 10:03:32:18 10:03:34:18
The governors are right to point out
0055 10:03:34:18 10:03:37:22
that a key determinant
of the success of this investigation
0056 10:03:37:22 10:03:39:23
will be the confidence
the parents have
0057 10:03:39:23 10:03:42:07
in the school's ability
to investigate.
0058 10:03:42:07 10:03:45:05
This will be determined
by the quality of the partnership
0059 10:03:45:05 10:03:48:06
that's developed
between the school and the parents.
0060 10:03:48:06 10:03:50:24
(narrator) The panel discuss
the possible causes
0061 10:03:50:24 10:03:53:09
of the girl's behaviour.
0062 10:03:53:09 10:03:56:09
It's the parents who are saying
she must be bullied.
0063 10:03:56:09 10:03:59:16
We're not getting information
about whether this is happening.
0064 10:03:59:16 10:04:01:18
Do we stick
to what we actually know,
0065 10:04:01:18 10:04:05:04
which is a quiet girl
who's now refusing to go to school,
0066 10:04:05:04 10:04:09:20
and the parents' assumption
that she must be being bullied?
0067 10:04:10:14 10:04:13:00
It could be something
outside the school.
0068 10:04:13:00 10:04:15:11
It could be something
inside the school.
0069 10:04:15:11 10:04:19:01
- It gets labelled bullying now.
- Yes.
0070 10:04:19:01 10:04:21:18
It's the easy tag to put on.
0071 10:04:21:18 10:04:25:14
The child's obviously not very
happy, he must be being bullied.
0072 10:04:25:14 10:04:31:02
What age was she? Is she hitting
puberty - is it that kind of stage?
0073 10:04:31:02 10:04:33:03
(Jim) The age of deep embarrassment.
0074 10:04:33:03 10:04:37:12
At the beginning of an investigation
of concerns raised by parents,
0075 10:04:37:12 10:04:41:10
it's important the school keeps
an open mind about possible causes.
0076 10:04:44:13 10:04:48:06
(narrator) Eventually, the pupil
admits that some of her friends
0077 10:04:48:06 10:04:51:08
have been sending her
offensive text messages.
0078 10:04:52:19 10:04:56:12
Teachers have complained about
mobiles being used in the classroom
0079 10:04:56:12 10:05:00:08
when the pupils are not supposed
to use them in school.
0080 10:05:01:08 10:05:03:18
The girl is adamant
0081 10:05:03:18 10:05:07:22
she doesn't want her friends
to be confronted about the issue.
0082 10:05:08:22 10:05:11:14
I'd like to know what
the school policy is on mobiles.
0083 10:05:11:14 10:05:16:17
- Absolutely.
- Are they banned entirely?
0084 10:05:16:17 10:05:20:23
Difficult one, though.
Parents give their children mobiles
0085 10:05:20:23 10:05:22:24
to keep them safe.
0086 10:05:22:24 10:05:27:00
And then the school says,
"You can't have them in school."
0087 10:05:27:00 10:05:29:18
It's not mobile phones,
it's how they're used.
0088 10:05:29:18 10:05:32:07
Many pupils would
take their phone to school
0089 10:05:32:07 10:05:36:01
and use it at appropriate times,
or never use it,
0090 10:05:36:01 10:05:38:17
it's a safety angle.
0091 10:05:38:17 10:05:41:13
But it's when it's brought
into play in this way.
0092 10:05:41:13 10:05:45:20
So if someone had written a note
and said, "Here. Read that",
0093 10:05:45:20 10:05:48:12
then that's just as bad
as texting them.
0094 10:05:48:12 10:05:51:12
I guess it's about
how absolute your rules are.
0095 10:05:51:12 10:05:55:00
Do you ban the presence of
mobile phones in your policy,
0096 10:05:55:00 10:05:59:08
so anyone found in possession of
a phone is against the school rules,
0097 10:05:59:08 10:06:01:08
or is it the use?
0098 10:06:01:08 10:06:03:13
Or is it inappropriate use?
0099 10:06:03:13 10:06:06:17
The trouble with a policy
if it's too absolute
0100 10:06:06:17 10:06:10:03
is, before too long,
someone's broken it,
0101 10:06:10:03 10:06:12:10
and you have to punish somebody
0102 10:06:12:10 10:06:16:14
for what may be a
very reasonable thing to have done.
0103 10:06:16:14 10:06:19:15
The governors are right
to focus on the behaviour itself
0104 10:06:19:15 10:06:21:15
rather than the source of it.
0105 10:06:21:15 10:06:23:11
By looking at existing policies,
0106 10:06:23:11 10:06:26:02
they may find behaviour
of this type is covered,
0107 10:06:26:02 10:06:28:12
without any specific mention
of mobiles.
0108 10:06:28:12 10:06:32:15
I think the school needs to respect
the confidentiality
0109 10:06:32:15 10:06:35:01
which the girl is asking for.
0110 10:06:35:01 10:06:39:06
Discreet inquiries can be made
through the form tutor,
0111 10:06:39:06 10:06:43:19
through other tutors or teachers
which the child encounters.
0112 10:06:43:19 10:06:47:06
And then build it up from there,
and take it step by step.
0113 10:06:48:03 10:06:52:23
Because the fallout of this
could be quite horrid for the child.
0114 10:06:52:23 10:06:56:05
We must remember that some pressure
has been applied to this girl
0115 10:06:56:05 10:06:58:04
to cough up.
0116 10:06:58:04 10:07:00:08
She hasn't volunteered this.
0117 10:07:00:08 10:07:02:11
She's not come forward
asking for help.
0118 10:07:02:11 10:07:07:14
She's been made to tell, in some way
or other, about what's happening.
0119 10:07:07:14 10:07:11:18
But you're right - how do you
protect her confidentiality?
0120 10:07:11:18 10:07:15:08
Who is sending these messages, which
the girl may be reluctant to state?
0121 10:07:15:08 10:07:19:20
That's starting an investigation,
which flags up there's something...
0122 10:07:19:20 10:07:22:12
Pupil confidentiality
is a very sensitive issue.
0123 10:07:22:12 10:07:24:14
Some things are so important
0124 10:07:24:14 10:07:26:21
it's impossible
to keep them confidential.
0125 10:07:26:21 10:07:28:21
But in most cases,
it should be possible
0126 10:07:28:21 10:07:31:14
for the school to find ways
of investigating concerns
0127 10:07:31:14 10:07:34:10
which maintain the confidence
of the pupil themselves.
0128 10:07:34:10 10:07:37:22
For instance, a generic assembly,
or by teachers raising the issue,
0129 10:07:37:22 10:07:41:05
thereby distancing the pupil
from the source of the inquiry,
0130 10:07:41:05 10:07:43:11
may lead to the matter
being dealt with
0131 10:07:43:11 10:07:46:06
without the pupil
feeling vulnerable.
0132 10:07:47:22 10:07:52:05
(narrator) The head confronts the
girl's friends, and they confess.
0133 10:07:52:05 10:07:54:19
However, they argue
it was meant to be a bit of fun,
0134 10:07:54:19 10:07:57:23
and they didn't know
they were upsetting anyone.
0135 10:08:02:03 10:08:05:22
The head and governors then receive
complaints from several parents
0136 10:08:05:22 10:08:09:11
that their children
have been unfairly interrogated
0137 10:08:09:11 10:08:12:14
and incorrectly labelled as bullies.
0138 10:08:14:10 10:08:17:24
But what exactly is meant
by the word "bullying"?
0139 10:08:17:24 10:08:21:15
She may be getting messages that
we would see as perfectly innocuous
0140 10:08:21:15 10:08:24:03
that she's interpreting
as bullying.
0141 10:08:24:03 10:08:28:13
A definition of "Are you being
bullied?" is if you think you are.
0142 10:08:28:13 10:08:31:12
And if she thinks she's being
bullied by these messages...
0143 10:08:31:12 10:08:35:03
Is that bullying, though? Are we
getting hyped up about the word?
0144 10:08:35:03 10:08:38:10
We're labelling everything
with "bullying".
0145 10:08:38:10 10:08:40:17
The press picks up on it,
parents pick up on it.
0146 10:08:40:17 10:08:43:16
- It becomes a spiral.
- Yes.
0147 10:08:43:16 10:08:46:21
But if you don't define
what bullying is,
0148 10:08:46:21 10:08:50:14
there's a risk that people
won't recognise it when it happens.
0149 10:08:50:14 10:08:52:10
It's about words like "respect".
0150 10:08:52:10 10:08:56:07
Respecting space, respecting
other people's views and opinions.
0151 10:08:56:07 10:08:59:22
And so "disrespect" would perhaps
be the word that's less emotive -
0152 10:08:59:22 10:09:02:15
there was an element of disrespect
in this behaviour.
0153 10:09:02:15 10:09:05:15
It might fit this quite well,
this particular scenario.
0154 10:09:05:15 10:09:09:06
They showed disrespect, or lack
of respect, for another person,
0155 10:09:09:06 10:09:13:08
and that is against the school ethos
and behaviour policy.
0156 10:09:13:08 10:09:17:10
Some things you can define,
you can say what isn't appropriate.
0157 10:09:17:10 10:09:21:08
And no matter how old the child is,
they do understand that.
0158 10:09:21:08 10:09:24:00
It needs to be said,
0159 10:09:24:00 10:09:28:04
because sometimes we're in danger
of not stating the obvious,
0160 10:09:28:04 10:09:31:07
and assuming that people understand.
0161 10:09:31:07 10:09:34:02
If you simply label
a type of behaviour as bullying,
0162 10:09:34:02 10:09:36:06
or label a particular person
as a bully,
0163 10:09:36:06 10:09:40:12
then it's likely to lead to a
defensive and a negative reaction.
0164 10:09:40:12 10:09:44:00
And this may inhibit the school's
ability to deal with the behaviour
0165 10:09:44:00 10:09:47:03
and the impact that behaviour
is having on the alleged victim.
0166 10:09:47:23 10:09:52:20
(narrator) The governors consider
the reaction of the parents.
0167 10:09:52:20 10:09:55:08
Any reasonable parent,
I would suggest,
0168 10:09:55:08 10:09:58:20
when faced with the evidence
of what had happened,
0169 10:09:58:20 10:10:03:20
would immediately say,
"Fine. That wasn't given to me."
0170 10:10:03:20 10:10:06:09
"You have dealt with it
appropriately,
0171 10:10:06:09 10:10:09:19
and I'll speak
to my child back at home."
0172 10:10:09:19 10:10:13:10
Assuming parents can be reasonable
when it comes to their children.
0173 10:10:13:10 10:10:16:05
They're reasonable
about other people's children,
0174 10:10:16:05 10:10:20:03
but when it's your own little one
coming home, you're thinking:
0175 10:10:20:03 10:10:22:19
"They've been put
in a place they shouldn't be in."
0176 10:10:22:19 10:10:28:06
Maybe it could have been averted
by more contact with the parents.
0177 10:10:28:06 10:10:34:06
Yes. I mean, this content of the
complaint is unfair interrogation.
0178 10:10:34:06 10:10:40:04
So, have we got a system of how
pupils should be interviewed?
0179 10:10:40:04 10:10:44:20
Would the parents have liked
to come in to be with their child
0180 10:10:44:20 10:10:47:13
while an interview took place?
0181 10:10:47:13 10:10:51:04
That's sounds a bit like
being interviewed by the police.
0182 10:10:51:04 10:10:56:13
But the parent would then have the
chance to be in with their daughter,
0183 10:10:56:13 10:10:58:18
and hear what the head had to say,
0184 10:10:58:18 10:11:01:23
and on the balance,
make their own opinion, as well.
0185 10:11:01:23 10:11:05:24
I think, as a parent, that's how
I would like to see it done.
0186 10:11:05:24 10:11:09:20
But if you do that for every case
of fairly low-level bullying,
0187 10:11:09:20 10:11:12:18
the head's going to be spending
all day seeing parents.
0188 10:11:12:18 10:11:15:07
In any investigation
of any complaint or concern,
0189 10:11:15:07 10:11:17:15
it's important
that the parents of the victim
0190 10:11:17:15 10:11:19:15
and the parents
of the perpetrators
0191 10:11:19:15 10:11:22:14
are kept fully informed
about the ongoing investigation,
0192 10:11:22:14 10:11:24:09
and the potential outcomes.
0193 10:11:24:09 10:11:27:15
This doesn't need to extend
to inviting both sets of parents in
0194 10:11:27:15 10:11:29:17
whenever any child is interviewed.
0195 10:11:29:17 10:11:33:13
It's important the school can
investigate thoroughly but quickly,
0196 10:11:33:13 10:11:36:15
to get to the bottom of the issue
as quickly as they can.
0197 10:11:36:15 10:11:39:01
(narrator) But what about
the governors?
0198 10:11:39:01 10:11:42:02
What should they be doing
in cases like this?
0199 10:11:42:02 10:11:46:01
Governors provide constructive
thinking, and challenge.
0200 10:11:46:01 10:11:49:16
So, why not come with ideas
which you've heard from parents
0201 10:11:49:16 10:11:52:21
or read in "The Times Ed"
or seen on the news?
0202 10:11:52:21 10:11:55:14
You're bringing
the outside element into school.
0203 10:11:55:14 10:11:58:07
That's one of the aspects
of governorship.
0204 10:11:58:07 10:12:00:10
As governors,
we really need to know
0205 10:12:00:10 10:12:04:23
that the policies and procedures
that we have in place really work.
0206 10:12:04:23 10:12:09:16
That they fit the scenarios
that happen in day-to-day school.
0207 10:12:09:16 10:12:12:18
I guess, in terms of a policy,
we'd want feedback.
0208 10:12:12:18 10:12:15:21
Is the policy that we've agreed
with the staff effective?
0209 10:12:15:21 10:12:18:00
Is it helping them?
0210 10:12:18:00 10:12:22:01
It could be,
do we get a summary of bullying,
0211 10:12:22:01 10:12:24:09
or whatever we want to call it?
0212 10:12:24:09 10:12:27:19
How many incidents have happened?
How have they been dealt with?
0213 10:12:27:19 10:12:30:20
The governors have reached
a very important conclusion.
0214 10:12:30:20 10:12:34:13
The role of the governing body here
is to assess whether the policies
0215 10:12:34:13 10:12:37:02
help the school
to deal with particular issues.
0216 10:12:37:02 10:12:40:06
A key question to ask at the end
of this particular problem is:
0217 10:12:40:06 10:12:43:10
Did our policy work? Did it make
things better for the school?
0218 10:12:43:10 10:12:45:15
In what ways
do we need to change our policy
0219 10:12:45:15 10:12:47:15
to make things better
for the future?
0220 10:12:50:16 10:12:52:11
Bullying is an emotive issue
0221 10:12:52:11 10:12:55:04
and all schools
will get concerns from parents
0222 10:12:55:04 10:12:57:14
which loosely come under
this general heading.
0223 10:12:57:14 10:13:00:09
If schools are to be successful
in dealing with this,
0224 10:13:00:09 10:13:03:10
it's important parents
have the confidence in the school
0225 10:13:03:10 10:13:06:10
that they will deal matters
fairly and thoroughly.
0226 10:13:06:10 10:13:10:02
This will be enhanced if the school
has communicated behaviour policies
0227 10:13:10:02 10:13:12:06
very clearly to parents in advance.
0228 10:13:12:06 10:13:15:22
Parents will have clear expectations
about the behaviour of pupils.
0229 10:13:15:22 10:13:17:22
It's important governors recognise
0230 10:13:17:22 10:13:20:09
that it's not possible
to change behaviour
0231 10:13:20:09 10:13:22:13
by a kneejerk reaction
to topical events -
0232 10:13:22:13 10:13:24:13
banning mobile phones, for example.
0233 10:13:24:13 10:13:27:12
It's the quality of the
relationships within the school,
0234 10:13:27:12 10:13:30:05
and the way in which
governors define the school ethos
0235 10:13:30:05 10:13:34:21
which will have a lasting impact on
the way pupils relate to each other.
0236 10:13:34:21 10:13:38:09
It's important to remember that
schools are places of education.
0237 10:13:38:09 10:13:41:16
Whatever the outcome
of the investigation,
0238 10:13:41:16 10:13:45:01
it's important that both the
alleged perpetrator and the victim
0239 10:13:45:01 10:13:47:19
have the opportunity
to learn from the experience,
0240 10:13:47:19 10:13:49:24
and that behaviour changes
as a result.
0241 10:13:55:01 10:13:58:01
Visiontext Subtitles:
Joanna Wilkinson
0242 10:13:58:01 10:14:00:01