HINCHINGBROOKE

SCHOOL

Initiated:                                             1993

Date:                                                   January 2005

Revised:                                              January 1995, February 1999

                                                            September (LJC)

                                                            January 2005 (RJM)

Adopted by Governing Body:               5.7.05

HINCHINGBROOKE SCHOOL BULLYING

This policy, designed to be read alongside the Child Protection Policy, the Behaviour Policy and the Equal Opportunities and Racial Harrassment Policy (Making Equality a Reality) gives a definition of the sorts of bullying a student may encounter; advice on how to deal with this and a range of strategies which the school uses to fight bullying.  These include behavioural sanctions, but also the Anti-Bullying Club.

ANTI-BULLYING INFORMATION

BULLYING IS CRUEL.  It makes life hard for others.  BULLYING can be pushing, hitting, kicking, teasing, name calling, spreading rumours, leaving people out, ganging up on someone, breaking student's property, demanding money or food, being horrible to students on the school buses, etc.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE BULLIED

• Don't bottle it up inside
• Tell someone you trust straight away (ie a friend, parent, teacher) and ask for help
• Be honest - ask yourself if your own behaviour has upset others

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE SOMEONE BEING BULLIED

• Report any bullying straight away
• Don't join in

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU BULLY SOMEONE

• Hinchingbrooke School takes bullying very seriously.
• Bullying incidents will be dealt with in a fair but firm way to an agreed structure (Appendix 2).
• Both the victim and bully will need to reflect on the incident and access support available.
• Parents will be contacted.
• All involved in the incident will have a copy of the incident and action taken placed in their school file.
• The Bully will be monitored to help avoid any reoccurrence of the behaviour.

Hinchingbrooke will be an even Happier School

• If we help and care for each other
• If we have respect for each other
• If we treat each other the way we would like to be treated

We need your help to make this possible

Childline - 0800 1111

MANAGING A BULLYING INCIDENT

Staff to whom the incident is reported or who first discover the incident must:

1    Take time to listen to pupils involved and write a full account of the incident

2    Give this report to the Key Stage Guidance Team as soon as possible

3    Take time to make the situation safe, if necessary ie control of a bully and support for a victim

Key Stage Guidance Team and Form Tutor

A number of strategies can be considered but the response should make clear to all concerned that:

1    This school takes bullying seriously.

2    A record of the incident will be kept of the incident in the files of both the victim and the pupil displaying aggressive behaviour.

3    Where possible conciliation between those involved should be worked towards through a positive framework.

4    Parents will be contacted.

5    Sanctions should be directed at the behaviour not the pupil.

6    The situation will be monitored and reviewed at a later date.

7    An anti-bullying incident form will be completed (Appendix 3)

Possible Strategies/Intervention

a       The victim and the bully are to be interviewed separately.

b       Parents will be notified of the incident stating that this school is taking action.

c       Convene a meeting where possible between the bully and the victim and onlookers to seek conciliation.

d       Circle time is desirable to discuss the situation within the teaching group or form and seek peer supporters.

e       Involve or make referral to outside agencies ie Family Centre, EWO.

f        Involve the bully or victim in the Self Esteem Groups.

What we should ask from Bystanders

• Always encourage bystanders to report any bullying
• Never to join in with the bullying
• If possible students should try to show their disapproval of the bullies behaviour

Working with parents on bullying behaviour

• Encourage parents to contact school if they are aware of, or suspect bullying
• Encourage parents to respond non-aggressively to their children and others
• Ask parents to support students outside the school, in the community at large
• Encourage parents to support school if further action needs to take place
• Provide information on where parents might receive outside help from support agencies.

THE ABC/BUDDY WITHIN HINCHINGBROOKE SCHOOL

Due to the recognised destructive effects that bullying has on young people’s lives, the serious long term social and emotional damage it can have and moreover the deleterious effect it has on learning we have a policy of zero tolerance as regards bullying.  We do not forget, however, that the bully is also in need of help and care.  Both of the above campaigns take into account the fact that:

Any policies/practices have to work on a day to day basis and not just when a serious incident comes to light.

The schools curriculum and tutorial time should also reflect concern about these issues and relationships should be discussed in PSE and in tutorial time.  As far as this goes our ABC befrienders do visit tutorial sessions as do sixth form buddies.

Hinchingbrooke has found the ‘circle of friends’ and ‘peer counselling’ methods the most effective ground roots way of tackling bullying.

We in these groups believe that action against bullying must also come through initiatives to improve attitudes and behaviour in school generally.

For the ABC/BUDDY to be successful both students and staff should be aware of their existence, although their success is at least partly due to their low profile.

ABC IN HINCHINGBROOKE

ABC is the Anti-Bullying Campaign!

The ABC is made up of students who have trained in the Spring Term to be befrienders to students in Years 7 – 11.  They start their work in the Summer Term when the Year 11s leave.  So they start work when they are at the end of Year 10.

At the end of their training the ABCers will get a certificate to say that they are trained.

In groups of 3/4/5 the ABCers sit in designated rooms during lunch (and break if they like) for one day a week.  These rooms are advertised around the school.  ABCers are there to talk to and listen to any student who is unhappy or being bullied and/or who can’t talk to an adult about it.  The ABCer will try to raise their esteem and offer help as to how to cope with it … this they have learnt in their training sessions.

Sometimes the bullied person may have such big difficulties that ABCer thinks they need help and in this case the ABCer can contact the staff link.  Every group has a staff link.  This is a person who will be available to them during their befriending session. 

No ABCer will be asked to deal with anything that is beyond them, nor should they.

At the end of Year 11 the ABCers get a certificate for their RoA folder.

The ABCers will be asked to attend one Year 7 Assembly at the beginning of the year and to visit Year 7 tutor groups during the Autumn Term.

ABCers can put this work on their CVs and it is very worthwhile and fulfilling.

The work, management and organisation of the ABC group is currently under Review – January 2005

Update on Child Protection

We have recently received further guidance from the LEA in regard to this important issue. 

• From June 2004, governors are responsible for protecting children at risk and they have the power to dismiss, or discipline staff who fail to do so.  Non-statutory guidance is currently being updated to statutory guidance.

• The Sexual Offences Act 2003 now makes it an offence to involve a child under 18 years of age in sexual activity where that person is in a specified position of trust to the child ie all staff working in educational institutions.

• All young people continue to have the right to confidential advice on contraception, condoms, pregnancy, abortion and sexually transmitted disease, but this should be in the form of sex education, or be given by a health worker or member of the Connexions team who may accompany a young person to a clinic.  In order to protect yourself and the child, we recommend that you log personal incidents of sexual health advice to those under the age of sixteen with one of our designated child protection representatives in the school – these are Tony Heath, Di Robinson, Ros Copping, Jenette Kingsbury, Di Beddow, Kathy Bradford.

• Following the Bichard Enquiry, we are to gain further direction on interviewing and appointing staff reflecting the importance of safeguarding children.  Soon, an interview panel will not be allowed to convene without at least one member of staff being properly trained in these procedures.

• If an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff, the LEA’s designated officer must be contacted immediately by the Head and all investigations held in abeyance until the police have completed their own investigations.  If the allegation is found to be malicious, or that no offence has taken place, the record of the incident is marked, “No Crime.”  General accusations, such as, “I don’t feel easy in her company”, should be logged with a child protection representative in school.

• Staff should have refresher training on child protection every three years and designated representatives, every two years. 

If you are ever in doubt of a child’s protection, please contact one of the designated representatives named above and complete a nagging doubt form.

Di Beddow                                                                                                    21 October 2004

APPENDIX  2

ANTI BULLYING IMMEDIATE RESPONSE CHART

APPENDIX  3

SCHOOL BULLYING INCIDENT FORM

This report will be held in strict confidence and will not be made available to any outside persons or agencies.

Report from _________________________       School Name _____________________________

Date of incident ______________________       Time of incident ___________________________

Ethnic origin of victim _________________        Ethnic origin of perpetrator ___________________

Indicate type of incident – please tick

If you feel the bulling incident was in any way motivated by any of the following, please indicate with a tick

Appearance      ¨                                      Disability                  ¨

Gender            ¨                                      Race/ethnic origin    ¨

Religion           ¨                                       Sexuality                  ¨

Brief description of incident

Action taken

Please tick if the incident led to perpetrator being excluded               ¨

Have you had contact with the victim’s parent/guardian?                 Yes/No

Have you had contact with the perpetrator’s parent/guardian?        Yes/No

Have you reported this incident to any other agencies?                   Yes/No

If ‘yes’ which agencies? ____________________________________________________________

Signed _____________________________        Designation _______________________________

Return to                                                  Named Senior Manager within School