Arden Action Against Bullying

Introduction

‘Bullying is the wilful, conscious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten someone.’

‘ A pupil 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, sent nasty notes, or when
none talks to him or her. These things can happen frequently and it is difficult for the pupil
being bullied to defend him or herself. It is also bullying if a pupil is teased repeatedly in a
nasty way.’

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

‘Bullying – Don’t suffer in silence’ Department for Education and Employment 1994.

Good relationships within school are of vital importance to good discipline. Unfortunately
some relationships can break down and when that occurs it can lead to physical, verbal or non
verbal bullying. Good practice has been identified in those schools which minimise the
incidence of bullying. Our policy and procedures seek to reflect this good practice.

We regard bullying as particularly serious and always take firm action against it. We feel that
everyone connected with school has a responsibility to ensure that any incidents of bullying
are reported immediately.

School Objectives

• Ensure that all staff and pupils are aware of the potential for bullying to take place in
school.

• Create a climate of positive relationships in which care and mutual respect between all
members of the school community can flourish.

• Encourage the expression of this climate through all aspects of school life: the curriculum,
our approaches to teaching and learning, the school’s environment, school rules, behaviour
policy and relations between staff, pupils, parents and governors.

• Use the curriculum as a vehicle to teach the values to show that bullying is unacceptable.

• Encourage pupils to regard ‘telling’ as both acceptable and responsible.

• Deal with all bullying as a high priority.

• Make appropriate contact with the parents of victims and bully/bullies involved in an
incident.
• Impose appropriate sanctions and support following incidents of bullying.

• Ensure that action is taken to prevent further incidents.

• Record all instances of bullying and monitor the effectiveness of the action taken.

• Review policy and practice regularly.

School Action to be taken following incidents of bullying

Support will be given to the victim and the bully.

There will be regular follow–ups, daily in the first instance, to monitor the situation.

Parents of both parties will be kept informed of progress.

Any sanction that may be applicable will be considered in line with the school behaviour policy.

The incident will not live on through constant long term reminders.

The school will attempt to learn from the incident to see if a change in methods or organisation
could prevent further difficulties.

All staff involved with the pupils including teaching, none teaching and mid-day staff will be
made aware of the situation.

Advice to Parents

Do

• Encourage your child to talk to a member of staff as soon as an incident has occurred.

• Show an interest in all that your child does in school.

• Contact school immediately you have cause for concern e.g. children with early morning
tummy ache or children who suddenly say they do not want to go to school.

DO NOT

Say (for example) go and hit back

boys will be boys
girls are like that
it will sort itself out
it’s part of growing up

School Contacts :-
For parents of Early years pupils (Nursery and Reception) -
Mrs L Lawless (Foundation Stage Teamleader)

For parents of Key stage 1 pupils (Year 1 & 2) -

Mrs E Sargent (Key stage 1 Teamleader)

For parents of Year 3 & 4 pupils -

Miss N.Haddock (Deputy headteacher)

For parents of Year 5 & 6 pupils -

Mr A Briggs (Year 5 & 6 Teamleader)

Anti-bullying co-ordinator -
Mr J Murray Headteacher

Background Information

Introduction

Most people have been involved in bullying behaviour at some time in their lives.

Bullying occurs in children of all backgrounds, races, cultures, and in both sexes;

Bullying occurs throughout life from Nursery to Further Education to Adult life.

Boys tend to bully physically - often younger children of both sexes.

Girls tend to bully verbally and ostracise from peer groups.

Some victims are also bullies.

Some victims are treated as culprits.

Onlookers are condoning and becoming part of bullying.

Bullying can be physical, verbal, emotional and or psychological.

Identifying the problem

Children who are being bullied at school will not always be prepared to tell those in authority.
However when a disclosure is made it should always be treated seriously. While others may
not feel that certain actions or words are of a bullying nature, if the recipient feels they are
being bullied that is sufficient evidence to treat the case as bullying.

Bullying can take the form of:

Name calling Malicious gossip

Damaging/stealing property Violence and assault
Punching/kicking jostling
Teasing intimidation
Extortion ostracising
Damaging schoolwork Coercion into acts people do not wish to do

Reasons for being a victim may be:

Race/sex/class
New in school
Family crisis - problems at home
Disability; differences of any kind
Feelings of inadequacy, lack of self esteem
Timid, unassertive children
Loners, having few friends
Anxious or fearful children
Younger children
Having been overprotected at home
Resorting to crying/temper tantrums which may appear
entertaining to others.

Sometimes there can be no apparent reason for being a victim.

Reasons for being a bully may be:

Feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, lack of self esteem

Victims of violence, abuse, bullying
Enjoyment of power, creation of fear
Lack of understanding of appropriate behaviour
Cannot imagine how victim feels
Lack social skills for co-operation and non-aggression
Be spoilt: lack inner control of own behaviour
Copying behaviour from home or TV
Socialised into success by any means’ attitude.

Signs of bullying may include:

Unwillingness to come to school

Withdrawn, isolated behaviour
Complaining about missing possessions
Being easily distressed
Poor attendance
Damaged or incomplete school work
Bedwetting
General unhappiness, anxiety, fear
Desire to stay with adults
Late arrival
Fictitious illness
Refusal to talk about the problem

All staff are aware of the need to use their knowledge of the pupils to recognise changes in
children’s behaviour that might indicate bullying.