Date Accepted by Governors: Summer 2022 Review date: Summer 2025
Policy Statement
Bullying is not accepted at Ash Grange and children will be taught how to prevent and challenge any bullying behaviour. All bullying is reported, investigated and dealt with in accordance with this policy.
AIMS
At Ash Grange we aim to:
Provide opportunities for all children to develop life skills to become good citizens, including understanding the rights and responsibilities of themselves and others and the effects of anti-social behaviour in the wider community, this is included in PSHE LTP objectives.
We would expect pupils to feel safe in school and on school related journeys, including that they understand the issues relating to safety and feel confident to seek support from school should they feel unsafe. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable.
DEFINITION OF BULLYING
‘Bullying is ‘behaviour by an individual or group, usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally.’
Safe to learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools (DCSF, 2007)
Bullying differs from teasing/falling out between friends or other types of aggressive behaviour in that:
Sometimes an incident may be considered to be bullying even if it is not persistent or repeated, if it fulfils the other criteria of bullying. This possibility should be considered particularly in cases of sexual, sexist, racist or homophobic bullying and when children with special educational needs are involved. If the victim may be in danger then intervention is urgently required.
WHAT DOES BULLYING LOOK LIKE?
Bullying may be carried out by individuals or groups, and may take several forms:
Verbal (eg name-calling, taunting, mocking, insulting, making offensive comments, culturally negative and religious persecution in any format.
Although bullying can occur between individuals it can often take place in the presence, virtually or physically, of others who become the ‘bystanders’ or ‘accessories’.
Bullying is often targeted in relation to a protected characteristic, as defined by the Equality Act 2010:
WHY ARE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE BULLIED?
Specific types of bullying include:
There is no hierarchy of bullying: all forms should be taken equally seriously and dealt with appropriately.
REPORTING AND RESPONDING TO BULLYING
Our school has clear and well-publicised systems to report bullying for the whole school community (including staff, parents/carers, children and young people). This includes those who are the victims of bullying and those who have witnessed bullying behaviour (bystanders). All reports of bullying will be taken seriously and investigated promptly and recorded on CPOMS and Pupil Asset.
In responding to an allegation of bullying, all those concerned will be interviewed and parents will be kept informed of the process. If it is established that bullying has taken place, the school’s behaviour management procedures will be followed (see Behaviour Policy). Sanctions will be applied according to the level of harm done and may include:
All those involved will participate in a solution-focussed process using restorative approaches. This may include individual work to support the victim, the perpetrator or bystanders and may also result in referral to outside agencies. There should be an opportunity for the perpetrator to make amends for their behaviour, e.g. a letter/picture of apology, poster to teach others, etc…
Parents of both victim and bully are informed at the end of investigations to be made aware of the incidents and of any future action. If follow-up monitoring reveals the problem persists, a meeting will be arranged between the head teacher, class teacher(s) and parents of those involved
The Headteacher will keep a written record of allegations of bullying and their outcomes. The information will be used to ensure individual incidents are followed up, to identify trends and to inform preventative work and policy revision. This information will be presented to the governors as part of the annual report.
Involvement of Other Agencies
Outside agencies will be contacted for support as required, these include, but are not exclusive to:
CAMHS
Mental Health Teams
Doctors
Health
Young Carers
LA Teams
Charitable Groups
Disability Awareness
STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING BULLYING
The following strategies are in place to encourage empathy and mutual support and to prevent bullying from taking place:
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Headteacher has overall responsibility for the policy and its implementation and for liaising with
the governing body, parents/carers, local authority and outside agencies. The Headteacher appoints an
Anti-Bullying Leader who has general responsibility for handling the implementation of this policy.
At Ash Grange the Anti-Bullying Leaders are Mrs Curtis and Mrs Cox.
The Full Governors are responsible for monitoring Anti-Bullying (Behaviour) and delegate this responsibility to specific governors to undertake as part of the governor monitoring cycle.
School provides annual Anti-Bullying CPD as part of School INSET Programme.
HOME/SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP
This policy is available to parents/carers so that they are informed of school practice.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The teaching and learning provided at Ash Grange in no way discriminates against a child for their race, culture, gender, ability or religion. The environment and curriculum reflect the rich multicultural and wide variety of abilities contained in the school, local community and wider world.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The school has an established culture that promotes and enhances the positive mental health of the whole school community, recognising that healthy relationships underpin positive mental health and have a significant impact on learning, health and wellbeing. We champion the expectation that ‘mental health is the individual’s responsibility supported by the whole school community.’
Linked Policies
Behaviour Policy
Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy (including Prevent duty)
Policy Responding to Parental Concerns and Complaints
Teaching and Learning
PSHE
Computing
Safeguarding
NB.
All policies are created and reviewed from Government Guidelines and in consultation with children, staff, parents and Governors. Reviews seek views of all stakeholders and respond to any issues/improvements raised by children and stakeholders.