Anti-Bullying | An-aghaidh burraidheachd

Rationale

Ardnamurchan 2-18 Campus believes that all pupils have the right to an orderly, purposeful and pleasant environment in which to learn.

All children and young people have the right to a positive, nurturing environment that allows them to make the most of their time in the school.

Definition

What is bullying?

Any behaviour that causes pupils to feel intimidated, harassed, threatened or unable to defend themselves in a given situation is bullying.
Bullying is hurting, threatening or frightening someone else.

Procedures

At Ardnamurchan High School, everybody is expected to behave in an appropriate manner which does not cause offence or harm to others. We have a shared responsibility to look after each other and to stop any behaviour which goes against our school ethos. We will not tolerate bullying and will implement the following strategies to ensure that it does not take place.

Raising awareness

It is important that everyone knows what bullying is so that it can be identified and then dealt with as soon as possible. This can include:

PSE lessons to discuss the issue and to learn how to deal with it.
An information booklet for staff/ parents.
Whole school assemblies with an anti-bullying theme.
Pupil council meetings to discuss anti-bullying strategies.
Curricular inserts in other subjects e.g. Art and Design department designing posters.
Staff meetings – discussing policy and procedures.

Prevention

Whilst we accept that bullying can and does take place in schools, we in Ardnamurchan High School believe that prevention is better that cure. Therefore, we will:

Develop a positive ethos in school.
Ensure careful supervision in corridors/social areas.
Highlight the problem of bullying during class.
Discuss this issue regularly at staff meetings.
Record incidents of bullying and follow-up action.
Take appropriate action – ensuring parental consultation.
Encourage community involvement.

Identification

Victims of bullying tend to be stereotyped, but the signs that they are suffering can take many forms. Bullying can occur if someone:

Is new into class or school.
Is different in appearance, speech or background.
Suffers from low self-esteem.
Throws tantrums.
Loses control.
Is nervous or anxious.
Is regarded as a “swot”.

Teachers and parents here in Ardnamurchan can both help by recognising the signs that bullying may be taking place. Pupils

May turn up late for certain classes.
Have a pattern of absences.
Show a desire to linger behind after classes.
Become withdrawn or show feelings of isolation.
Be afraid to go to school.
Have money stolen.
Come home distressed or bruised.
Show a deterioration in work.

Dealing with incidents of bullying

All staff – teaching and non-teaching - are sensitive to the issue and will react in the following ways.

Firstly

The member of staff closest to hand will deal with the initial incident –taking the incident or report seriously.
Action will be taken as soon as possible.
The victim will be reassured and will be offered help, advice and support.

Next Steps

The matter will be fully investigated by member of SMT on duty. This might include asking questions to find out more. For example: What has happened? What impact has it had? What do you want to happen?
All relevant parties will be informed.
Pupil and parental interviews will take place as necessary.
Other agencies will be involved if necessary.

Each case of bullying will be investigated, and records will be kept on file and staff will be informed of all incidents and requested to monitor the situation. Where appropriate, further action will be taken. Disciplinary procedures are intended to change or modify behaviour rather than label anyone as a bully. These can include:

Putting into place positive behaviour strategies with agreed goals.
The withdrawal of privileges.
Whole school assemblies and/or targeted sessions within class.

In the most serious of cases, a pupil may be excluded and/or police informed.

Help and support for parents

What help and support do we offer here in school?

If your child is a victim of bullying

If you are worried that your child is being bullied, ask her/him directly.
Be aware of the signs and symptoms of bullying.
Take bullying seriously and find out the facts when told about an incident of bullying.
Don’t keep bullying a secret.
Contact the school as soon as possible.
Give your child a chance to vent her/his feelings about being bullied.
Keep a written diary of all the incidents.

If your child is a bully

This is a problem that we will deal with together.

Remain calm.
Try to find out why your child is bullying – bullies must be made to realise the effect their actions have on their victims.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help. At the school we can put you in touch with expert help.
Set realistic, firm guidelines to help your child control their behaviour.
Ensure that your child apologises, either in person or in writing to the child or children bullied.
Bullies need to achieve some success to make them feel good about themselves. Help them to find something they can do well and often the behaviour will change.

Ethos building

Senior Pupils will “buddy” younger pupils as appropriate.
Encouraging extracurricular activities.
Parental involvement in some extracurricular activities.

Monitoring and evaluating

This policy will be reviewed on a regular basis by:

Questionnaires to pupils.
Recording incidents of bullying and noting their frequency.
Feedback from staff, pupils and parents.

Further reference and links to other policies

Parental Support Guide - YoungMinds

Preventing and responding to bullying - Education Scotland

Anti Bullying - Guidance for Schools - The Highland Council