At St. Joseph's Catholic Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that children learn in a supportive, caring and safe environment without the fear of being bullied.
Bullying of any kind is unacceptable in our school, however we recognise that bullying will happen from time to time and the fact that it is not always reported does not mean it is not happening. Bullying makes children's lives unhappy and can hinder learning.
Please take the time to read the following documents to learn more about bullying and what we at St. Joseph's will do in response to a report of bullying:
To ensure we are able to prevent bullying, and address it quickly should it happen, it is vital that our school community has a shared understanding of what bullying is. This will help us to avoid misidentifying acts of bullying.
It is bullying if:
- Someone is being hurt, harmed or humiliated with words or behaviour and the behaviour is repeated, two or more times (though it can be a single incident that involves more than one perpetrator or several victims).
- It is being done intentionally.
- The person being hurt finds it difficult to defend themselves from the behaviour.
- The pupil(s) who are doing it have more power. – Power can be many things such as, social status, being older, being physically bigger or stronger or when a group of pupil’s ‘gang’ up on others.
- Bullying can be face to face, and online using a range of technology.
Please watch the video below to find out more about identifying bullying.
What is bullying?
The Ant-Bullying Alliance defines bullying as the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online. You can find out more at www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk.
We will explain to the children that bullying is:
We will explain to the children that bullying can look like this:
We will explain to the children what they should do if they think they are being bullied:
Support for Parents
Questions to ask your child to establish if an incident in school sounds like bullying or other behaviours such as a disagreement, friends falling out or unkind behaviour:
- When did this all start?
- How long has it been going on?
- What was your role in what happened?
- What have you been told and by whom?
- Who was there?
- What was your response?
- What action did you take?
Please contact the school if you have a concern by:
- Reporting your concern to your child's class teacher.
- Liaising with Mrs. Reid our Designated Safeguarding Leader, or Mrs. Hicks, our Welfare Officer.
Please see links below for further support.
Helpful links:
www.childline.org.uk
get help and advice about a wide range of issues, talk to a counsellor online, send ChildLine an email or post on the message boards.
www.cybermentors.org.uk
A social networking place where you can find out about bullying and what you can do about it and also talk to mentors your own age.
www.bullying.co.uk
bullying at work, cyberbullying, and find out how you can deal with it from leading bullying organisation Bullying UK.
www.need2know.co.uk/beatbullying/
Helpful articles on how to deal with issues around bullying.
www.antibullying.net/
The Anti-Bullying Network is an independent operation with the following objectives:
•to support anti-bullying work in schools;
•to provide a free website;
•and to offer an anti-bullying service which will include the provision of training, publications and consultancy services.
www.ypas.org.uk
committed to supporting young people aged 10 to 25 years in a safe environment with a primary focus on respect and acceptance
www.education-otherwise.org
a UK charity offering information and support to home educating families.
www.cruelatschool.co.uk
website aimed at other families whose children are or have been bullied at school.
www.cctvcameraworld.com/what-is-cyberbullying-and-how-to-prevent-it.html