Bullying

CHARD SCHOOL - BULLYING POLICY

Principles
Effective learning requires a culture in which each child feels secure. The Bullying Policy is directed to ensuring that bullying is eradicated.

Definition
Bullying is repeated behaviour that makes others feel uncomfortable, whether this is intended or not. It includes:

· Physical abuse - hitting, kicking, taking or hiding property
· Verbal abuse - name calling, teasing, insulting
· Emotional abuse - exclusion, tormenting, spreading rumour

Note: name calling includes individual characteristics, ethnic origin, nationality, colour, sexual orientation or some form of disability.

Aims
· To promote an ethos of positive behaviour in which bullying will be the exception.
· To encourage an environment in which independence and individuality is valued.
· To ensure a response which identifies and eliminates bullying.

Method
Preventative

1. Code of Conduct: Through the consistent promotion of behaviour that implicitly and explicitly recognises respect for person and property. This includes teachers ensuring that the mode of speech and behaviour deployed by pupils in the classroom is always appropriate.

2. Curriculum: Through Citizenship, and within the programmes of individual subjects, to provide opportunity for children to develop social skills and an understanding and tolerance of others both through content of lessons and activities.

3. Pastoral: Through teachers actively monitoring the needs of their classes and responding to early indications of problems, and by vigilance during duty time, including playgrounds, toilets, changing rooms and other areas where bullying might occur.

4. Classroom Management: An orderly classroom reduces the potential for incidents leading to conflict.

Eliminating Measures

All bullying is serious and should involve a response that eliminates the problem. This will be achieved by:

1. Vigilance on noticing evidence of bullying or distress.

2. Ensuring that parents know how, and to whom, any concerns should be referred (Complaints Policy).

3. Co-ordinating responses so that all incidents are reported to the Class Teacher or Head, in order that appropriate action can be taken.

4. Action should aim at elimination. Where appropriate, this can include informal sanctions that are consistent with the situation.

5. There should be post-incident monitoring to ensure that there is no repetition or backlash.

6. Where appropriate, parents should be contacted.

Conclusion
The most important contribution in eliminating bullying is a positive, challenging culture in which expectations of behaviour are consistently high. Positive, vigorous and individually assessed response will eliminate incidents that may occur.

JOHN STOTESBURY
(updated April 2006) Back to top