GROVE ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY BULLYING?

Bullying is aggressive or insulting behaviour by an individual or group which can be a one-off event or repeated over a period of time. It hurts or harms someone emotionally, physically or socially. It is difficult for victims to defend themselves against it. Many people do not understand that what they say and do is seen as bullying by other people.

PRINCIPAL AIM OF OUR POLICY

It is unrealistic to talk of eliminating bullying. It shows itself in all areas of public life, in parliament, in sport, on television. It is not a thing that only children do. Our aim is to strengthen the victims to enable them to deal better with it. We have also to ensure that the school has a range of appropriate responses  when it occurs.

WHAT WE WILL DO

1. Subject to note one below, we will take very seriously all claims of bullying reported by students or their parents.. They will be investigated thoroughly and sensitively.
2. We will create a strong ethos in the school which promotes understanding and respect, including respect for difference and diversity.
3. We will raise awareness in all students and staff of the many forms of bullying and the impact it can have.
4. We will create a school environment in which everyone feels safe and listened to.
5. We will provide a range of support systems and responses so that every student feels able to discuss instances of bullying openly or, where appropriate, confidentially.

NOTES TO REMEMBER : WHY THINGS SOMETIMES GO WRONG

1. All students need to be aware of how best to report instances of bullying. Teachers need to be in a position where they can listen carefully and judge the seriousness of what a student is trying to say to them. Speaking to teachers at the beginnings and ends of lessons or on corridors between lessons cannot be guaranteed to lead to the kind of response envisaged in 'what we will do'
2. Students should also be prepared to go back for further help if an intervention by an adult or mentor proves unsuccessful at the first attempt. Bullying can be very complex and not easily solved. We are determined to eliminate then notion that sometimes things get worse for a victim when they are reported.
3. Similarly, parents should not assume that nothing has been done when things do not immediately turn out as planned. School regularly deals with problems which begin in the community and at home and while we can to some extent help when these issues surface in school, a lot of provocation goes on outside school and home and it can be almost impossible to establish the truth of who said and did what and in what order. We believe we have high levels of skill in mediation, investigation, counselling and reconciliation, but we cannot solve everything.

STEPS WE WILL TAKE

1. to strengthen the victim (aims 1,4,5 above)
   
   
   • ensure that victims have access to a wide range of people who can support them at break and lunchtime
   • provide quiet rooms at lunchtime
   • provide areas where no ball games can be played at break and lunchtime
   • improve supervision at break, lunchtime and between lessons, especially around toilets and in corridors
   • install smoke alarms in toilets and ensure locks on doors.
   • involve parents and other members of the family where appropriate and necessary.
   • Ask staff to log incidents at students’ request which can be referred back to for future reference.
     
     
2. to ensure a fuller awareness of the nature of bullying and its consequences (aims 2,3,4 above)
   
   
   • plan a striking poster campaign and develop a series of catch phrases and slogans for identifying and reacting to bullying aimed at entering the school vocabulary
   • follow previous events where Grove Connex put ‘smoking on trial’ and ‘drugs on trial’ by putting ‘bullying on trial’
   • provide discussion materials and drama showcases for tutorial events and assemblies
   • teach issues through the Opening Minds competencies such as ‘relating to people’ and ‘managing situations’. English, Drama, PSHE and RE are obvious areas where this can occur.
   • Provide constant reinforcement of the key messages through all staff and mentors.
     
     
3. maintain an appropriate level of public information about our approaches to bullying  (aims 1,2,4 above)
   
   
   • develop a page on the school website describing support systems for victims and their parents
   • share ideas with partner primary schools to create confidence in students at transition time.
     
     
4. deal appropriately with bullies (aims 1,2 3,4 above)
   
   
   • through Grove Connex and staff training explore approaches to anger management, mediation and restorative justice as valid responses to bullies
   • use the whole range of disciplinary sanctions against bullies including exclusion where bullying persists despite interventions
   • involve parents and other members of the family where appropriate and necessary.