Wycliffe approaches the issue of bullying through education, the pastoral system and disciplinary action.

Transcription

1 Statement of Intent The purpose of this policy is to give a clear statement to pupils, staff and parents about Wycliffe s attitudes to bullying, about the actions which will be taken to prevent bullying and the school s response if it should occur. Wycliffe is committed to providing a caring, friendly, safe and secure environment for all of our pupils so they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere, where pupils can talk about their worries, confident that an adult will always listen and offer help. Wycliffe regards the right of every child to enjoy all aspects of his or her education here, without interference from other pupils, as being of paramount importance. All pupils should care for and support each other. The School prides itself on its respect and mutual tolerance and it is our wish for every pupil to develop his or her potential. Ours is a diverse community, with pupils from a variety of cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds. Some pupils require additional support and help. Parents/guardians have an important role in supporting the School in maintaining high standards of behaviour. It is essential that school and homes have consistent expectations of behaviour and that they cooperate closely together. All pupils, parents and members of the School s community agree to adhere to these principles. Any form of bullying or deliberate exploitation or discrimination is deemed completely unacceptable; any incident where a pupil s conduct adversely affects another s ability to enjoy this right is deplored. However, when a pupil persistently or repeatedly acts in such a way that another s happiness is directly and seriously affected, we are likely to regard this conduct as bullying. We take such cases extremely seriously since bullying can cause psychological damage, and even suicide. Each case is unique and will be dealt with appropriately so staff, pupils and parents feel confident that a consistent approach will be taken and that concerns are always treated seriously. Harassment, threatening behaviour and damage to another s property may also be a criminal offence (and a civil wrong) which has repercussions outside of school. Malicious electronic communications (such as a text or ) which intends to cause distress or conveys an indecent message is also an offence. The school will inform external agencies such as the police and social services as appropriate. Pupils are told and regularly reminded that allegations of bullying will always be investigated. The School will take reasonable steps to protect all students from the harmful effects of bullying and cyber bullying that occurs at school. This policy also applies to misbehaviour outside of School that could have repercussions for the orderly running of the school, poses a threat to another pupil or member of the public or could adversely affect the School s reputation. When bullying happens we will work as a community, in accordance with the policy set out, to help both the people who are harmed and the perpetrators. We will ensure the safety of the victim and do our best to support improved behaviour from the bully. Wycliffe approaches the issue of bullying through education, the pastoral system and disciplinary action. This policy can be made available in larger print or more accessible format if required. Mission Statement: Any form of bullying is completely unacceptable, and those who cannot understand the destructiveness of bullying, either physical or mental, clearly cannot expect to remain a member of our community. At Wycliffe you are expected to act with consideration and respect for other people, their property and the environment. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 1

2 Definitions of Bullying Bullying is the repeated intimidation of a victim that is intentionally carried out by a more powerful person or group in order to cause physical and/or emotional hurt. (Dan Olweus) Bullying is, the wilful, conscious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten someone. (D Tattum) Bullying is not confined to the obvious physical and verbal attack, but can include: Physical Verbal Emotional Sexual Homophobic Racial Disability Cyber Religious Cultural pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching, or any use of violence name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing excluding, being unfriendly, taunts, graffiti, tormenting, interfering with others possessions, hiding books, threatening gestures unwanted physical contact or abusive comments focusing on the issue of sexuality, use of terms such as gay etc. racial taunts, graffiti, gesture focusing on the issue of disabilities including SEN; unwanted abusive comments threatening, abusive s or mobile text messaging; posting embarrassing information/comments/photographs on social websites - Facebook, Bebo, MySpace & via You Tube, MSN, Skype, Twitter, gaming sites, virtual worlds etc. focusing on religious beliefs; unwanted abusive comments, name-calling, teasing etc. focusing on cultural beliefs; unwanted abusive comments, name-calling, teasing etc. Cyber bullying Cyber bullying can be defined as the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), particularly mobile phones and the internet, deliberately to upset someone else. Electronic devices have provided ideal methods for bullying with an upsurge in cyber bullying via , text messaging, the creation of humiliating websites and abuse via social websites. Cyber bullying is an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself. Although cyber bullying is not a specific criminal offence, there are criminal laws that can apply in terms of harassment and threatening and menacing communications. The School will contact the police if there is evidence to suggest the law has been broken. Cyber bullying takes different forms: threats and intimidation; harassment or cyber stalking (e.g. repeatedly sending unwanted texts or instant messages); vilification / defamation; exclusion or peer rejection; impersonation; unauthorised publication of private information or images (including what are sometimes misleadingly referred to as happy slapping images); setting up website pages and inviting others to post derogatory comments and circulating them via mobile phones; sending, insulting and vicious text messages or messages of a sexual nature (so called sexting ); posting fake and/or obscene photographs of the victim on a social networking site and manipulation. Unpleasant messages or images may also be sent outside school time. Naturally we would expect parents to play the main role in dealing with any out-of school incidents. The school may take such disciplinary action that is reasonable in dealing with bullying behaviour that takes place outside of school or not under the lawful control of school staff of which the school is aware, with a view to regulating conduct. The school may notify external agencies such as the police and social services of any action taken against a pupil as appropriate. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 2

3 Some cyber bullying is clearly deliberate and aggressive, but it is important to recognise that some incidents of cyber bullying are known to be unintentional and the result of simply not thinking about the consequences. What may be sent as a joke may not be received as one, and indeed the distance that technology allows in communication means the sender may not see the impact of the message on the receiver. There is also less opportunity for either party to resolve any misunderstanding or to feel empathy. In cyber bullying, bystanders better termed accessories in this context can easily become perpetrators by passing on or showing to others images designed to humiliate, for example, or by taking part in online polls or discussion groups. They may not recognise themselves as participating in bullying, but their involvement compounds the misery for the person targeted. Pupils are entitled to their freedom of expression and respect for their private lives, but they must not infringe the rights of others. Infringement includes, among other things, libel and slander, bullying, harassment and victimisation, inciting hatred on racial, religious and homophobic grounds, breach of confidentiality and breach of copyright. Pupils are also reminded that misconduct of this kind outside school will be subject to school discipline if the welfare of other pupils or the culture or reputation of the school is placed at risk. It is important that pupils are aware that their actions have severe and distressing consequences and that participating in such activity will not be tolerated. The school may search for any item banned under the school rules 1 and any other item identified as such by law which includes electronic devices. The school may examine and erase any data from the device if the School considers there to be good reason to do so. Parents will be informed of any search conducted and the school will keep records of all searches carried out including the results of the search and any follow up action taken. Guidance on the safe use of the internet and prevention of cyber bullying is given to pupils, parents and staff. Signs and Symptoms A child may indicate by signs or behaviour that he or she is being bullied. Adults should be aware of these possible signs and that they should investigate if a child: is frightened of walking to or from school is unwilling to go to school (school phobic) becomes withdrawn, anxious, tearful, lacking in confidence, starts stammering attempts or threatens suicide or runs away cries themselves to sleep at night or has nightmares feels ill in the morning begins to do poorly in school work withdrawal from group/social activities isolation in class, prep, social groups comes home with clothes torn or books damaged has possessions go missing and money lost asks for money or starts stealing money (to pay bully) has unexplained cuts or bruises becomes aggressive, disruptive or unreasonable is bullying other children or siblings by passing comments/obvious silence, excluding 1 Such items include electronic devices and prohibited items such as knives, weapons, alcohol., tobacco, illegal drugs and stolen items Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 3

4 stops eating is frightened to say what's wrong gives improbable excuses for any of the above These signs and behaviours could indicate other problems, but bullying should be considered a possibility and should be investigated. Aims of the policy To clarify for pupils and staff that bullying is always unacceptable To encourage an environment where independence is celebrated and individuals can flourish without fear To ensure that every pupil has the right to be safe and happy and to be protected when he or she is feeling vulnerable To take positive action to prevent bullying from occurring through a clear school policy on personal and social development To show commitment to overcoming bullying by practising zero tolerance To take immediate action whenever someone reports an incident of bullying To deal with the incident in a consistent and effective manner To provide caring professional support for both victim and bully To comply with the school s obligations under the Equality Act 2010 To foster positive relations towards individuals who are disabled and towards religious, cultural and ethnic groups in and outside the School. To eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited under the Equality Act Objectives of the policy All Trustees, teaching and non-teaching staff, pupils and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is. All Trustees, teaching and non-teaching staff, pupils and parents should know what the school policy is on bullying, and follow it when bullying is reported All pupils and parents should be aware of the school s expectations and to foster a productive partnership, which helps maintain a bully-free environment All pupils and parents should know what the school policy is on bullying, and what they should do if bullying arises. All pupils and parents should be reassured that they will be supported when bullying is reported since we take bullying seriously Clear procedures for the reporting of bullying should be understood and followed All staff should be aware of their role in fostering the knowledge and attitudes which will be required to achieve the above aims All staff (and prefects/senior pupils at the Senior School) will receive INSET training on bullying and the School s policy. Raising Awareness through Education and Training In this area as in others, pupils learn by example. They should experience the adults in Wycliffe and in the House situation behaving in a civilized, kindly manner towards them and towards each other at all times. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 4

5 Wycliffe s Life Skills/PSHE programme deals with the subject of bullying in lessons and tutorial time. Discussion includes experiences of bullying, reasons why it may occur, strategies for dealing with it and methods of support, both in and out of school. The ICT programme also deals with cyber bullying and on line safety. Other subjects such as Drama, RS and English explore aspects of the topic through dramatic and literary texts; opportunities such as House Chapels are used to discuss and present ideas about relationships and bullying issues. We also use the National Anti-Bullying week in November to raise awareness of the negative consequences of bullying. When appropriate, Senior Staff address the subject in Chapel or Assembly and on occasions, Housemasters/Housemistresses will discuss it formally in the Houses. In particular, Housemasters/Housemistresses will explain this policy to pupils when they first arrive at Wycliffe and with the whole House at the beginning of each year. The policy will also be explained to parents and be made available on the Parent Portal and they will be urged to contact the school promptly about any concerns. It will form part of induction/training for new College Prefects and Heads of Houses and will also be part of the training for the peer mentoring group in each House. Pupils will be regularly reminded of the sources of help and advice available to them both in and out of school, including the Chaplain, the school counselling service and telephone numbers of organizations such as ChildLine will be available to them. Training will be offered to staff, in addition to that given during new staff induction and information is available to parents through the school. Pastoral Care Prevention Staff will build pupils confidence and self-esteem by recognizing achievements and positive qualities of every individual, both in private and in public where appropriate. They will adopt strategies to ensure that every individual is properly involved in lessons and group activities. They will make a point of expressing disapproval when they hear unkind remarks; they will not allow pupils to exclude others from groups in class or at mealtimes and other formal occasions. At times such as break, lunchtime and social activities or outings when there is naturally less formal supervision, Staff will nevertheless keep a careful eye on behaviour and relationships within groups. Staff in Houses will make a point of visiting dormitories/rooms regularly at bedtimes and also check them after lights-out times; they will spend time with younger pupils in the evenings and at weekends, encouraging them to behave co-operatively and monitor relationships. Housemasters/Housemistresses will routinely see pupils on a one-to-one basis so that there are regular opportunities for any concerns to be expressed. All Staff will be vigilant for possible signs of bullying. By being alert, Staff may help to prevent friction caused by the normal changes in adolescent relationships from developing into more serious, long-term problems. Any concerns, no matter how trivial, will be passed to the Housemaster/Housemistress, the Deputy Head Pastoral and Senior Deputy Head at the Senior School; to the Head of House/House Staff, the Director of Pastoral Care and Head at the Prep School, and to the Head of Lower Prep, Director of Pastoral Care and Head at the Lower Prep, at an early stage, so that an overall picture can be established, and action taken if necessary. Early intervention is important as patterns of behaviour can become entrenched and Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 5

6 more difficult to change if they are left unchallenged. Concerns may also be raised at weekly, Pupil Concern Staff Meetings. Senior pupils, especially College Prefects, Heads of House and House Prefects, are extremely influential in establishing the culture within School and the House, and can often be aware of problems at an early stage. They will be encouraged to adopt the approaches outlined above. Action Listening and Discussion If a pupil complains of being bullied, he/she will be taken seriously. He/she will be listened to, and any specific incidents noted in writing, as well as his/her more general feelings. This matter will be reported to the Housemaster/Housemistress, and both the Deputy Head Pastoral and the Senior Deputy Head will be informed and consulted at the Senior School; the Director of Pastoral Care and the Head, at the Prep School and the Head of Lower Prep, Director of Pastoral Care and the Head at Lower Prep. [ The Stepby-Step Guides to handling a Bullying Incident for Senior School, Prep School or Lower Prep - see the separate document for each section of the School] Often the initial concern will be raised by a parent, where the same process will apply. The member of Staff contacted will arrange to report back on progress within a specific time. The pupil concerned will always be informed of any action to be taken. Pupils may often be reluctant to support further action for fear of making things worse, and Staff will note any of these fears but the School has a duty to the community as a whole to take action on bullying and cannot stand by and allow it to continue once they are aware it is happening. They will make clear to the pupil concerned that the school cannot condone bullying, and he/she will be reassured that he/she will be supported through any continuing difficulties but confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Investigation The Staff concerned will investigate the situation carefully. On some occasions, there may be clear evidence in the form of written notes, text or messages etc., or Staff and senior pupils may have observed specific actions; on other occasions there may only be the complaints from the victim and possibly a series of counter-accusations from other pupils. These should also be listened to, without condoning the bullying response. Investigation may take a number of forms, depending, for example, on the apparent seriousness of the situation, the age of the pupil concerned, any SEN and/or disability or vulnerability the pupil may have and the level of distress involved. The perpetrator(s)/ bully or bullies will be talked to separately, initially, perhaps with other pupils who are not directly involved. If a group is involved, it may be useful, to ask them to write individual versions of events, which can be checked against each other; a meeting between the perpetrator and the victim may be arranged, depending on the circumstances, where a member of staff encourages an exchange of views, while making it clear that bullying behaviour is unacceptable. Such a meeting would only be arranged with the agreement of both parties and care will be taken to ensure that support is given if necessary. Staff will consider carefully whether another member of Staff should be present to take notes and whether individual pupils should be supported by a friend or another adult. This will normally be automatic in serious cases. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 6

7 Procedures to follow when dealing with incidents of bullying The aim is To stop the bullying happening again by encouraging both victim and bully to think about their behaviour. This may also include colluders or bystanders. To consider ways of avoiding or resolving the difficulties they are experiencing. It is important to understand the varying behaviour patterns of victims and bullies, which have been established as a consequence of the values and experiences they bring into school. Follow, The Step-by-Step Guides to handling a Bullying Incident for Senior School, Prep School or Lower Prep. (See the separate document for each section of the School) The Welfare Flow Chart shows the lines of communication that are followed at Wycliffe. Basic Points to Remember when dealing with the Incident Support the victim by ensuring that the pupil feels that he/she is listened to. Help the pupil feel safe by assuring him/her that all bullying incidents are taken seriously. Reassure the pupil further by explaining how support will be given and how the incident will be dealt with. Dealing with the Bully Explain the reasons for your meeting. Assure the pupil that all incidents of bullying are taken seriously and are not acceptable. Keep calm and non-judgmental and ensure that the pupil feels that he/she is listened to. Explain how the incident will be dealt with. Interview the pupils individually (victim, bully, colluders and bystanders). Find out how the victim feels about the incidents and also who was involved. Ensure that you have permission from the victim to let the bully know how the victim feels. This may require some agreement as to how much information the victim is prepared to give the bully at this stage. Explore the situation with the bully (and any colluders) from the perspective of the victim, explaining how the victim feels. Identify how the situation could have been avoided or resolved by other means. Convene separate meetings with all the pupils involved. Listen more than you speak Summarise what you are told at intervals during the meeting to ensure that all parties perceive the situation in the same way. Encourage them to reflect on their behaviour through your questioning. Encourage empathy on the part of the bully. Ensure that all parties are aware that there is no blame apportioned or threat of punishment at this stage. Enable each pupil to see how he or she can resolve the present conflict, to share responsibility and so avoid a recurrence. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 7

8 Encourage the bully to put forward one or more ways in which he/she can change his/her actions. Explain that the Bullying Incident will be recorded to give: Details of the incident. The future conduct of the pupils as identified at the meeting. Actions either pupil should take if there is further bullying. The date when a review meeting will take place. The Review Meeting Discuss with pupils how things have been going keep them involved in the process while monitoring the bullying. If there is no further incident The Bullying Incident Reports are kept in the pupils files. Everyone directly concerned with the victim's welfare is made aware of what has happened and the action taken. If there is further provocation Parents will be contacted to agree on and implement appropriate strategies and sanctions. Constructive options should be identified to enable the problem to be resolved successfully. Ensure that a full record of staff concerns and the actions taken to support the pupils has been kept and is to hand when meeting parents. Footnote: It is important that these procedures are consistently followed in order to demonstrate to pupils that bullying is a serious issue and that all pupils involved will be seen and listened to and that something will be done to change things for the better. Responses There are a number of options depending on the seriousness of the situation, and the certainty with which responsibility can be attributed. At the lowest level the aim will be to resolve the situation and re-establish reasonable relationships and acceptable behaviour as quickly as possible. Staff will explain firmly and clearly the ways in which behaviour has been unacceptable and leave pupils concerned in no doubt as to what constitutes bullying. They will make clear that any evidence of bullying in the future will result in disciplinary action. Staff will then discuss the future with both sides and establish agreed ground-rules about any specific issues that have arisen. A number of follow-up meetings may be arranged, so that developments may be monitored. The relevant Staff - House Staff Tutors, Subject Teachers will be informed so that they can monitor the situation closely. If this process is not successful, and there is no obvious responsibility for continuing problems, other options such as a change of House may be considered in order to encourage pupils concerned to make a fresh start. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 8

9 It is sometimes the case that the victim, while not responsible for his/her treatment by others, can be shown how to modify his/her behaviour in ways which may help to avoid further conflict. Counselling may be helpful for some of the individuals concerned, both perpetrator/ bully and victim and may be suggested. Any action taken will be recorded and kept in the file of the pupils concerned. Staff will consider carefully at what stage parents should be informed, if they are not already aware of what is happening. Some complaints of bullying are the result of normal, albeit distressing, changes in friendships, temporary examination stress or friction within a group about a particular issue. These are best dealt with in a low-key manner, as part of the everyday running of the House or Class, and the aim will be a speedy resolution and reconciliation without undue disruption to normal routine. Parents will not automatically be informed in such cases. Parents of all pupils involved, will always be informed if the situation continues or becomes serious, or it is established that behaviour which constitutes bullying has taken place. Disciplinary Steps The following steps indicate the range of options open to the School and are dependent on the severity of the incident. All or any will used be at the discretion of the Senior Deputy Head and the Head. As always, any punishment will be proportionate to the offence and should allow the pupil to make amends where appropriate. The School will take into account the impact of disciplinary measures on any disabilities or special educational needs. Staff should always consider the motive behind bullying behaviour and whether it reveals any concerns for the safety of the perpetrator. If staff have any reasonable cause to suspect that a pupil is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm the school s Child Protection (Safeguarding) Policy should be followed. Even where safeguarding is not considered to be an issue, the school will consider whether external services need to be informed to support the pupil and help tackle underlying issues, for example, which may have contributed to bullying behaviour. Informal Discipline Bullying is rarely solved by punishments; listening and talking to pupils should not be seen as a sign of weakness. Punishments are not always the best way to repair relationships and to overcome bullying. Sometimes it is important to talk with and to listen to pupils and take considerable time in fact-finding and reaching a resolution. Unless there is imminent danger to a child, instant action and an attempt at magic-wand solution rarely works. Indeed, this can lead to the victim being isolated and the remedy worse than the complaint. Many pupils, when confronted with bullying, will not repeat the behaviour. However, other than lowlevel bullying, the full range of School punishments can and should be used. As with all discipline, we must be consistent and fair. However, perhaps of all disciplinary problems bullying calls for adaptable and flexible thinking and real creativity. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 9

10 Formal Discipline The bullies will be warned officially to stop offending. The parents/guardians of the bullies and the victims will be informed. The misuse of ICT for cyber bullying may lead to confiscation of mobile phones or laptops and restrictions on the use of the internet. The school reserves the right to monitor pupils use of the Internet on a routine basis and to examine mobile phones where there is reason to suspect abuse. Discipline for minor offences might include a reprimand or withdrawal of privileges. Subsequent/serious offences of bullying are likely to lead to a period of suspension. If bullying behaviour continues following a suspension and/or is particularly serious, this may lead to permanent exclusion (expulsion) or required removal by the Head. Serious and/or persistent incidents of bullying will be discussed with the Head who will agree an appropriate strategy. The Head may take into account the pupil disciplinary record and will consider whether the Designated Safeguarding Lead for Child Protection (DSL) should be informed and the School s Child Protection procedures instigated. Under the Children Act 1989 a bullying incident should be addressed as a child protection concern where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. Where there are concerns that a criminal act has or may be committed, the matter may need to be referred to the police and/or children s services. This will not determine or prejudice the School s right to act in accordance with its own disciplinary procedures. The school does not use corporal punishment. Help, support and counselling for victims and the bullies Help, support and counselling will be given as is appropriate to both the victims and the bullies. We support the victims in the following ways: By offering them an immediate opportunity to talk about the experience. Offering emotional support; reassuring them that they have done the right thing in telling. By informing the victims' parents/guardians. By offering continuing support when they feel they need it. Advise the victim not to retaliate or reply. Instead, keep the evidence and give it to a member of staff. By emphasising to pupils the importance of: conflict resolution and negotiating skills rights and responsibilities In addition to text messages or s that may be retained by the victim, mobile phone companies, internet service providers and social network sites can also provide supporting material and evidence. If appropriate, advise the victim to consider what information they have in the public domain. If hurtful or embarrassing content is being distributed, try to get it removed from the web by the person who posted it or alternatively, contact the host provider and make a report to get the content taken down. In some cases, the victim may be able to block the person bullying from their sites and services. By taking one or more of the disciplinary steps described to prevent further bullying. We also discipline, yet try to help the bullies in the following ways: By talking about what happened, to discover why they became involved. By discussing ways in which the bully must change their behaviour By emphasising to pupils the importance of: Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 10

11 respect for and courtesy to others rights and responsibilities By informing the bullies' parents/guardians. By continuing to work with the bullies in order to get rid of prejudiced attitudes as far as possible. Advice to Pupils Remember that your silence is the bully's greatest weapon! Teachers will take you seriously and will deal with bullies in a way which will end the bullying and will not make things worse for you. Tell yourself that you do not deserve to be bullied, and that it is WRONG! Be proud of who you are. It is good to be individual. Try not to show that you are upset. It is hard but a bully thrives on someone's fear. Stay with a group of friends/people. There is safety in numbers. Be assertive - shout "No!" Walk confidently away. Go immediately to a teacher or other member of staff. Fighting back may make things worse. If you decide to fight back, talk to a teacher or parent/guardian first. Remember that anything you place on technology can be made public within seconds. You have very little control over this. Nothing is guaranteed to stay private. Whatever you send to others can travel world-wide and could stay on-line forever. University admissions officers and future employers may be able to view messages, films and photos posted years before. Be careful what you say on-line or in text messages. It is easy to upset someone by not reading carefully what you have written before pressing the SEND key. Be careful what images you send. If you receive a nasty or rude message about someone, or a photo of them, do not forward it to anyone. Doing this means that you will be taking part in the bullying. You could even be breaking the law. Keep your password to yourself. Do not let anyone see you key it in. Do not let anyone know it or use it. Change your password regularly. Choose hard-to-guess passwords with symbols or numbers. This makes it harder for others to hack into your account. Only give your mobile number or personal website address to loyal friends whom you trust completely. Remember also that some people change friends often, especially in the early teenage years. Choose the highest security settings on internet sites; do not rely on default settings. Use websites and services that let you block someone who is behaving badly or bullying you, and use the blocking facility. Use websites and services which allow you to report incidents of cyber bullying. If you see cyber-bulling taking place, support the victim. Report the bully. Bullies get away with bad behaviour if no one tells. Call a helpline like Childline on Be aware that the School takes reasonable steps to control and monitor the use of the internet and other electronic means of communication without unnecessarily or disproportionally compromising the privacy of pupils. It reserves the right to monitor pupils use of the internet on a routine basis and to examine mobile phones where there is reason to suspect abuse. You will be held personally responsible for all material you have placed on a website and for all material that appears on a website of which you are the account holder. Be aware of the need to think carefully about what private information you may have in the public domain. Generally it is best to tell an adult you trust straight away. You will get immediate support. Pupils are reminded of Where can I turn to information of who they can talk to. Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 11

12 If you know someone is being bullied you should: TAKE ACTION! Watching and doing nothing looks as if you are on the side of the bully. It makes the victim feel more unhappy and on their own. If you feel you cannot get involved, tell an adult IMMEDIATELY. Teachers have ways of dealing with the bully without getting you into trouble. Do not be, or pretend to be, friends with a bully. Advice to parents Look for unusual behaviour in your children. For example, they may suddenly not wish to attend school, feel ill regularly, or not complete work to their normal standard. Always take an active role in your child's education. Enquire how their day has gone, who they have spent their time with, how lunchtime was spent etc. If you feel, know or suspect that your child or another child may be a victim of bullying behaviour, inform the School IMMEDIATELY. Your complaint will be taken seriously and appropriate action will follow. It is important that you advise your child not to fight back. It can make matters worse! Make yourself aware of the amount of time your child is using the Internet, chat facilities, games consoles and their mobile phones and whether this is excessive. Consider carefully the location of the computer or laptop and whether your child would be better using it in a family area of the home. Search on Google for your child s name and any online usernames they use. This is a valuable exercise for you and them to be able to see exactly how much information other people can see about them with very little difficulty. Consider installing internet monitoring software. Talk to your child; both about the dangers or the internet, but also about their general usage be interested in what they are doing and keep dialogue open so they feel able to talk to you if they do experience problems. Ask your child to (or help them) set up appropriate privacy settings on Facebook. Tell your own son or daughter there is nothing wrong with him or her. It is not his or her fault that they are being bullied. Make sure your child is fully aware of Wycliffe's policy concerning bullying, and that they must not be afraid to ask for help. If the pupil being bullied or their parents are not satisfied with the action taken by the school, they can make a formal complaint by following the school s Complaints Procedure. Useful websites: (Kidscape Bullying Helpline ) (ChildLine ) Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 12

13 (Children s Rights Director: Free Phone or write to: Office of the Children s Rights Director, Ofsted, Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE) College Counsellor (via the College Medical Centre on Thursdays between hrs term time only) Implementation of the Policy Communication A Whole School Policy applying to all pupils in the school including those in the EYFS. Staff will receive INSET training on bullying procedures Bullying procedures will form part of the induction process for new members of staff Prefects and Heads of Houses (Senior School) will receive INSET training on bullying procedures A copy of the policy will be sent to the Trustees and will be available to all parents The policy will be included in the Staff Handbook The school has a practitioner responsible for the behaviour management in the Early Years Foundation Stage, details of which are available from the Prep School. The school keeps a record of any occasion where physical intervention is used and parents will be informed on the same day, or as soon as reasonably practicable. As a School We shall organise the community in order to minimise opportunities for bullying, e.g. provide increased supervision at problem times. We shall use any opportunity to educate and discuss aspects of bullying, the appropriate way to behave towards each other, to be sensitive to the feelings of others, to use clear direct and honest messages, to use assertiveness techniques, to solve conflicts etc. e.g. the Life Skills/PSHE programme, ICT programme (cyber bullying), House/Tutor groups. We reinforce Internet safety messages at various regular stages and at an age-appropriate level to all pupils. This is done through, Life Skills/PSHE lessons, ICT lessons, Tutor and House meetings. We follow the appropriate School disciplinary procedures in relation to any incident of misuse of ICT equipment or websites or of cyber bullying. (The School has the right to take action - even when the offence is committed out of School - if it harms members of our community or brings the School into disrepute). We ensure all pupils and staff are both informed of and sign the School s Acceptable Use Policy which lays out their responsibility for making safe and appropriate use of the School s computer systems. We shall engage with parents promptly when issues of bullying come to light. We shall deal quickly, firmly and fairly with any complaints, involving parents where necessary. We shall continue to have a firm but fair discipline structure. The rules are clearly set out in the Pupil Handbook/Term Calendar. We shall not use teaching materials or equipment, which give a bad or negative view of any group because of their ethnic origin, sex, etc. We shall encourage pupils to discuss how they get on with other people and to form positive Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 13

14 attitudes towards other people. This includes a review of what friendship really is. We shall use outside specialist agencies to make presentations to pupils about bullying. We shall encourage pupils to treat everyone with respect. Good role modelling is a vital factor, if pupils are to see the positive effects of social, as opposed to anti-social behaviour. We shall treat bullying as a serious offence and take every possible action to eradicate it from Wycliffe. Monitoring & Evaluation The policy is a living document, which will be evaluated, updated and reviewed regularly to identify any patterns in bullying behaviour so that appropriate steps can be taken to address such behaviour. The Deputy Head and/or Deputy Head Pastoral will record bullying incidents in incident books/files; in addition to House Staff, Prep School Director of Pastoral Care, Heads of Houses and Lower-Prep teachers keeping their own records in Senior School/Prep School/Lower-Prep respectively. There will be a continuing programme of INSET as deemed necessary. There will be regular pupil input, via questionnaires and discussion in Life Skills/PSHE, in ICT, in House, in Tutor period etc. Resource materials will continue to be updated and made available to both staff and pupils. Reference to other legislation and relevant school policies The Anti-bullying Policy was written with regard to DfE guidance (2013) Preventing and tackling Bullying: Advice to Headteachers, Staff and Governing Bodies and will be reviewed in light of any substituting or amending guidance as issued from time to time and complies with the law applicable to the Independent Schools sector. Other relevant legislation: the Equality Act 2010; Keeping Children Safe In Education (April 2014). We conform to the National Minimum Boarding Standards (2013) regulations which are published under section 87C(1) of the Children Act 1989 as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, where Standard 12 is specific to bullying. Other Policies/Staff Guidelines, which have relevance to the Anti-Bullying Policy, are: Prep School Anti-bullying Incident Guidelines Staff Code of Safe Practice Child Protection Acceptable Use Policy ICT & E-safety Pupil Confidentiality Admissions, Discipline & Exclusion Equal Opportunities Whistle Blowing SENDA SEN SRE Member of Staff responsible: Liz Buckley (Deputy Head Pastoral) The Policy is effective from: January 2003 Reviewed Annually in June Anti-Bullying Policy (June 2014) Page 14