Parklands High School

Anti Bullying Policy

LEARN RESPECT ASPIRE ACHIEVE

ANTI BULLYING POLICY

This policy applies throughout the whole school community, including all students and all adults. It

also applies on the way to and from school and on all educational and residential visits. This policy is

linked to many other school policies such as Single Equality, Child Protection, Behaviour, SEN,

Acceptable Use and E-safety.

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

It is of central importance to the school community that we provide a physically and emotionally secure

environment where the needs of the whole child can be met, where both students and staff can enjoy

school life and achieve their full potential.

As stated in our School Values and Aims Statement, Parklands High School recognises that academic

success is intrinsically linked to physical and emotional development along with a sense of well being

and high self-esteem. We believe that:

• Everyone has the right to feel safe in school

• We should be polite to each other at all times

• Everyone has to take responsibility for their own actions

• Everyone should be given respect

• All students have a right to be educated

• Everyone has a right to be in an environment which fosters well-being

How we treat other people and how we conduct ourselves around school in our community should

reflect these values.

• The school will encourage its students regardless of race, gender, disability, religion or economic

background to gain the qualifications, skills attitudes and personal qualities that will prepare

them for continued formal education, employment and life in a rapidly-changing and highly

technological society.

• The school will offer a secure and caring environment for everyone, which will take into account

the pressures students face in the modern world, and by example, foster the qualities of

respect, compassion and tolerance.

• The school aims to prepare students to become happy, healthy and well-rounded citizens.

Parklands High School fully adopts the values, aims and principles of the DCSF anti-bullying charter.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This policy aims to provide an understanding and awareness of what constitutes bullying behaviour,

strategies for dealing with bullying and procedures and guidelines to be followed in the event of

incidents or suspected bullying. Bullying is a serious matter and any incident once reported will

therefore be acted upon promptly and appropriately. However, the school recognises that what is

perceived as bullying can involve a complex chain of events and interpretations of those events so that

each particular case needs to be dealt with on an individual basis.

This policy also aims to raise awareness and create an ethos of collective responsibility where bullying is

unacceptable, and fear of reprisal is removed. All adults have a responsibility to act under the duty of

care. This will be achieved by whole school cross curricular activities like assemblies, day to day in

lessons, Pupil Voice, pastoral work and vertical tutor groups, involving all stakeholders e.g. students,

staff, governors, parents/carers/guardians and other agencies where appropriate.

Awareness is also raised within the formal curriculum through Respect days, Drama, ICT and in other

subject areas such as English when appropriate.

DEFINITION

Bullying falls into two categories:

i. Emotionally harmful behaviour such as taunting, spreading hurtful rumours and excluding people from

groups, or cyberbullying.

ii. Physically harmful behaviour, such as kicking, hitting, pushing or other forms of physically abusive

behaviour.

The behaviour constitutes bullying if:

• It is repetitive, wilful or persistent

• It is intentionally harmful, carried out by an individual or group

• There is an imbalance of power leaving the person who is bullied feeling defenceless

The policy will cover the following types of bullying:

• Bullying related to race, religion or culture

• Bullying related to special educational needs or disabilities

• Bullying related to appearance or health conditions

• Bullying related to home circumstances

• Bullying related to sexual orientation

• Sexist or sexual bullying

• Cyberbullying

TO WHOM THIS POLICY APPLIES

The policy applies to all members of the school community. We acknowledge that bullying behaviour

can and does occur anywhere and everywhere; in schools, within the home and the community. The

provisions of this policy will be applicable in relation to behaviour outside school on school business (for

example school trips, sports fixtures, work experience etc), and also where there is a clear link between

the behaviour and the maintaining of good order and discipline within the school. In appropriate

circumstances, the provisions of the policy will also extend to cover the conduct of students when they

are not on school premises and not under the control or supervision of a member of staff.

RESPONDING TO BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

1. Student reporting procedures

All students have a right to feel comfortable and safe at school and on their journey to and from school.

All students have a responsibility to report any bullying behaviour seen or known of. Senior students and

prefects have a responsibility to respond to incidents of low-level bullying themselves (provided that

they feel competent and confident to do so) and then to report the outcome to a relevant member of

staff, or to report the incident.

This responsibility extends to supporting victims who are afraid to report any form of bullying issues.

What can you do if you are being bullied?

• Most importantly tell someone you can trust. The school will take it seriously and will deal with

bullies in a way which will end the bullying and will not make things worse for you.

• Always keep a diary of what is happening. Write down dates and details of the incidents and

your feelings. When you decide to tell someone, a written record of the bullying makes it easier

to prove what has been happening. This is best kept at home.

• Tell a friend what is happening. Ask them to help you. It will be harder for the bully to pick on

you if you have friend/friends with you for support.

• Fill in a slip about the bullies/bullying incidents and place it in the anti-bullying box in the LRC

• Tell a member of staff - Form Tutor, House Achievement Leader or another trusted member of

staff.

• Any incidents of cyberbullying should be reported to the House Achievement Leaders.

2. Staff reporting procedures

Staff (including regular visitors and other professionals) should be vigilant at all times with the

awareness that bullying can take many forms and often occurs covertly in unstructured situations. If in

doubt staff should consult House Achievement Leaders or the Strategic Leadership Team. Professional

judgment must be applied at all levels when assessing the severity of any incident. Any bullying concerns

should be reported. Where an incident involves a student/students from another school, Parklands staff

will liaise with colleagues from the relevant school. Staff should be aware of the Child Protection

procedures as well as the acceptable use and e-safety procedures. There is a member of SLT with overall

responsibility for Anti-Bullying. In an event of any disclosure/concerns, a member of staff should listen

to the student and report to House Achievement Leaders. If there are any concerns regarding adult

bullying behaviour, it should be reported to the Headteacher.

3. Parent/carer/guardian reporting procedures

Always take an active role in your child's education. Enquire how their day has gone, who they have

spent their time with, how lunch time was spent etc.

Make sure your child is aware of the School Policy concerning bullying, and that they are not afraid to

ask for help. If you think your child may be a victim of bullying behaviour, ring and ask to speak to a

House Achievement Leader. Your concern will be taken seriously and appropriate action will be taken. It

is important that you advise your child not to fight back. It can make matters worse.

4. Procedures for dealing with and recording incidents:

General Staff Procedures

• Reassure the student that it was OK to TELL.

• If student is very upset, wait to talk to the student. If you are the person they have chosen to

talk to, listen to the student and make notes. Pass details to the House Achievement Leader.

• If you observe an incident the same procedure applies.

House Achievement Leader Procedures

• House Achievement Leader to take action as soon as possible to see those concerned

separately.

• Students need to be supervised if there is an issue of safety and be allowed to stay in a 'safe'

area of school at break and lunchtime, such as the Intervention room, if necessary, either

supervised or with a trusted friend.

• If appropriate contact parents/carers/guardians.

• It is important to follow up with both students and parents/carers/guardians, to ensure that

there has been no continuation of events and that they have been made fully aware of any

action taken.

• Monitor regularly in the weeks ahead.

• A written record, using the Bullying Incident Form must be passed to the lead SLT for Anti-

Bullying and entered into the Anti-Bullying File.

• In relation to dealing with specific incidents of bullying, e.g. cyberbullying, staff should

make themselves familiar with available guidance and seek support from other

members, e.g. ICT Curriculum Leader, DSP or Network Manager.

• Serious or repeated incidents should be referred to the SLT.

(Reference to guide for Immediate Response to student after incidents or disclosures of bullying,

adapted from The Anti-Bullying School)

5. Procedures for complaints

We will treat bullying as a serious offence and take every possible action to eradicate it from our school.

If you feel your concerns are not dealt with appropriately then speak to a member of the SLT. Should the

behaviour continue, parents should contact the Headteacher and enquire about the school’s complaints

procedure.

6. Support for those involved in bullying incidents

Students involved in bullying will be given support which might involve mediation, individual time with a

member of staff of their choice, restorative justice, confidence and self-esteem building activities and

where appropriate involvement with outside agencies. Where a member of staff experiences bullying

behaviour from students, they may need additional support from colleagues or SLT when facing an

individual or class in front of whom they may feel humiliated or intimidated. In these cases

consideration should be given to support strategies such as team teaching, class dynamics, assistance

with assertive discipline and the offer of counselling. We also recognise that people involved in bullying

may need to learn specific skills and strategies in order to enable them to become less passive and more

assertive, thus discouraging repeated bullying. In the event of staff colleague bullying incidents, the

guidance in the DCYP document 'Work place and work-related bullying and harassment (2009)' should

be referred to.

Students using bullying behaviour will be encouraged to empathise with their victims to repair the

damage that they have caused. Strategies and skills will be given to address aggression and to enable

them to build positive relationships with their peers. They will also be assisted to identify their strengths

and positive qualities and encouraged to use these for the benefit of themselves and the school

community. Parents will be informed and future behaviour monitored.

Staff will offer guidance and signpost to appropriate agencies in the event of cyberbullying.

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

The school is a restorative approaches school and this is a key procedure used to resolve bullying

incidents. Appropriate staff and students have been trained in restorative approaches. As each incident

of bullying is very individual, it is almost impossible and short sighted to try to dictate a method of

handling. We would be looking towards using a combination of advice, firm warnings, monitoring and if

necessary isolation, exclusion and permanent exclusion. There are, however, some points that we would

like to stress:

• On occasions, there will not be an immediate result for the student involved in bullying

behaviour. The school will not give up but try alternative approaches and sanctions.

• The school will always follow up on incidents that we have dealt with and monitor the behaviour

/ relationship between the victim and bully for as long as is thought necessary.

• Parents will be involved as soon as thought necessary.

• On occasion, it may well be necessary for those involved in bullying incidents to work on a

change of behaviour in order to tackle the problem.

1. Isolated Incidents

Each incident will be dealt with on an individual basis. The approach taken by the school with bullying

incidents will be initially of a restorative nature. If a successful resolution is achieved sanctions will not

necessarily be applied. If, however, the restorative approach does not work the sanctions as outlined in

the behaviour policy will be applied. Parents will be involved in the latter case and in the former when

appropriate. Occasionally, external agencies will be involved.

2. Repeated or extreme bullying incidents

If a situation persists or is extremely serious, the involvement of the Strategic Leadership

Team, Governors and parents/carers/guardians will be required. Other agencies may be involved or

required. In cases where a person has been physically assaulted, the police may also be involved/be

called in. In such cases, or where bullying is persistent, the instigator is liable to face the full range of

school sanctions, including the likelihood of an internal exclusion, fixed term exclusion from school or a

permanent exclusion.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

As a school we shall strive to actively prevent bullying behaviour by incorporating the following:

• We will provide safe places at unstructured times, use external CCTV and Safer Travel, operate

an open door and OK to TELL policy and to ensure a safe environment to minimise opportunities

for bullying.

• Encourage students to discuss how they get on with other people and to form positive attitudes

towards other people.

• Pupil Voice and governors will be actively involved in the review of policy and practice.

• Not use teaching materials or equipment which gives a negative view of any group; by using

opportunities to raise awareness about anti-bullying within in the curriculum, e.g. House and

whole school assemblies, ICT, Respect days and a wide range of curriculum areas.

• The school staff will continue to have a firm but fair discipline structure. The rules should be

few, simple and easy to understand, students and staff will be encouraged to treat everyone

with respect and empathy.

• We will deal quickly, firmly and fairly with any complaints, involving parents where necessary.

• We will make appropriate assessments and use various questionnaires to inform policy and

practice and to identify needs.

• We will offer mediation, mentoring, counselling, peer support, group activities and use of

external agencies.

• Ensure appropriate continuing professional development for adults.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY

All members of the school community are responsible for implementing this policy.

Students’ awareness will be raised through the Pupil Voice, assemblies, vertical tutoring and throughout

the curriculum. Staff, parents/carers will have access to the policy through the website.

MONITORING THE ANTI-BULLYING POLICY PROCESS

It is the role of the lead SLT for Anti-Bullying to:

Monitor type and numbers of incidents of bullying and other data available to school on a regular basis.

Seek opinions of students to the effectiveness of this policy.

The aim of the above is to reduce incidents of bullying.

EVALUATING THE POLICY

This policy will be reviewed by the lead SLT for Anti-Bullying and findings reported to the Headteacher

and Governors. The policy will be evaluated on numbers of reported incidents, effectiveness of support

provided and reduction of incident numbers.

Headteacher........................................................................................................................

Date.......................................

Governor.............................................................................................................................

Date........................................

To be reviewed on a 2 year cycle from date of signing