Anti-Bullying Policy

General behaviours which apply to all types of bullying

·          Physical aggression

·          Damage to property

·          Name calling

·          Slagging

·          The production, display or circulation of written words, pictures or other materials aimed at intimidating another person

·          Offensive graffiti

·          Extortion

·          Intimidation

·          Insulting or offensive gestures

·          The “look”

·          Invasion of personal space

·          A combination of any of the types listed.

Cyber

·          Harassment: Continually sending vicious, mean or disturbing messages to an individual

·          Impersonation: Posting offensive or aggressive messages under another person’s name

·          Flaming: Using inflammatory or vulgar words to provoke an online fight

·          Trickery: Fooling someone into sharing personal information which you then post online

·          Outing: Posting or sharing confidential or compromising information or images

·          Exclusion: Purposefully excluding someone from an online group

·          Cyber stalking: Ongoing harassment and denigration that causes a person considerable fear for his/her safety

·          Silent telephone/mobile phone call

·          Abusive telephone/mobile phone calls

·          Abusive text messages

·          Abusive email

·          Abusive communication on social networks e.g. Facebook/TikTok/ Twitter/You Tube/Snapchat/WhatsApp or on games consoles

·          Abusive website comments/Blogs/Pictures

·          Abusive posts on any form of communication technology

Including any of the nine discriminatory grounds mentioned in Equality Legislation  (gender including transgender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community).

Homophobic and Transgender

·          Taunting a person of a different sexual orientation

·          Name calling e.g. Gay, queer, lesbian…used in a derogatory manner

·          Physical intimidation or attacks

·          Threats

Race, nationality, ethnic background and membership of the Traveller community

·          Exclusion on the basis of any of the above

Relational

·          Malicious gossip

·          Isolation & exclusion

·          Ignoring

·          Excluding from the group

·          Taking someone’s friends away

·          “Bitching”

·          Spreading rumours

·          Breaking confidence

·          Talking loud enough so that the victim can hear

·          The “look”

·          Use or terminology such as ‘nerd’ in a derogatory way

·          Harassment

Disability

·        Taunting others because of their disability or learning needs

·        Taking advantage of some pupils’ vulnerabilities and limited capacity to recognise and defend themselves against bullying

·        Taking advantage of some pupils’ vulnerabilities and limited capacity to understand social situations and social cues.

·        Mimicking a person’s disability

·        Setting others up for ridicule

Education and Prevention Strategies

School-wide approach

Creation of a culture of “telling”. 

·       Teachers should repeatedly reinforce the message that if anyone is the victim of bullying behaviour, they should not retaliate in any way, but they should tell an adult. Victims should be reassured that if they tell, something will be done about the bullying in a safe manner and all reported incidents will be dealt with.

·       Class lessons to be provided to enable pupils “how to tell” (telling protocol), how to be an Upstander rather than a Bystander.

·       Upstanders can be the key to resolving bullying and if anyone witnesses bullying behaviour, they should always tell a teacher. This is not telling tales but a means of protecting your friends and classmates.

Raising the awareness of bullying as a form of unacceptable behaviour by –

·       Displaying school’s anti-bullying statement (Bullying is wrong and is not tolerated in St. James’s Primary School. We are a telling school) in school foyer and other prominent places around the school environment. Engaging in formal teaching within the class setting through SPHE and RE programmes.

·       Celebrating the multi-cultural and diverse nature of our school community by hosting an International Day.

Other strategies

·       Positive reinforcement by teachers in classroom setting (Star Pupils, Golden time, spot prizes, stars, stickers etc.)

·       Modelling of respectful behaviour and language by teachers and staff.

·       Whole staff professional development with specific focus on the role of the relevant teacher

·       Promotion of extra-curricular activities which encourage co-operation among pupils.

·       Rewarding incidents of good and improved behaviour and showing acts of kindness at class level and on a whole-school level through our ‘Kindness Tree’ on Kindness Week and ‘Bucket Fillers’ on a regular basis.

·       Encouraging students to look out for each other and to be responsible for their own behaviour.

·       All teachers and SNA’s are required to be vigilant on yard duty- record all incidences- monitor repeat offenders

·       Immediate affirmation of children who report incidents of bullying which they have witnessed.

·       Circle-time sessions, role-play, Socially Speaking programmes and puppetry are methodologies which may be used to discuss and explore issues of bullying.

·       Distribute the school rules and contract which parents/guardians must sign upon enrolling in the school.

·       Display signs around the school.

·       Practise Mindfulness in all classes to develop self-awareness, calmness and how to use breathing to self soothe.

·       Ensure teacher supervision at all times when pupils can access the internet.

·       Sanctions for unauthorised use of the internet/electronic devices will be imposed as per the Code of Behaviour.

·       HSCL teacher to facilitate lesson on internet safety for parents

·       To focus on the topic of bullying on at least one school assembly.

The primary aim in investigating and dealing with bullying is to resolve any issues and to restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved (rather than to apportion blame).

Reporting bullying behaviour

·        Any pupil or parent(s)/guardian(s) may bring a bullying incident to any teacher in the school.

·        All reports, including anonymous reports of bullying, will be investigated and dealt with by the relevant teacher.

·        Teaching and non-teaching staff such as secretaries, special needs assistants (SNAs), caretakers and cleaners must report any incidents of bullying behaviour witnessed by them, or mentioned to them, to the relevant teacher.

Investigating and dealing with incidents: Style of approach

·        In investigating and dealing with bullying, teachers will exercise their professional judgement to determine whether bullying has occurred and how best the situation might be resolved;

·        Parent(s)/guardian(s) and pupils are required to co-operate with any investigation and assist the school in resolving any issues and restoring, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved as quickly as possible.

·        Teachers will take a calm, unemotional problem-solving approach.

·        Where possible incidents will be investigated outside the classroom situation to ensure the privacy of all involved;

·         All interviews will be conducted with sensitivity and with due regard to the rights of all pupils concerned. Pupils who are not directly involved can also provide very useful information in this way;

·        When analysing incidents of bullying behaviour, the relevant teacher will seek answers to questions of what, where, when, who and why. This will be done in a calm manner, setting an example in dealing effectively with a conflict in a non-aggressive manner;

·         If a group is involved, each member will be interviewed individually at first. Thereafter, all those involved will be met as a group. At the group meeting, each member will be asked for his/her account of what happened to ensure that everyone in the group is clear about each other’s statements;

·         Each member of a group will be supported through the possible pressures that may face them from the other members of the group after the interview by the teacher.

·        Those involved may, if appropriate, be asked to write down their account of the incident(s)

·         In cases where it has been determined by the relevant teacher that bullying behaviour has occurred, the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the parties involved will be contacted at an early stage to inform them of the matter and explain the actions being taken (by reference to the school policy). The school will give parent(s)/guardian(s) an opportunity of discussing ways in which they can reinforce or support the actions being taken by the school and the supports provided to the pupils.

·         Where the relevant teacher has determined that a pupil has been engaged in bullying behaviour, it will be made clear to him/her how he/she is in breach of the school’s anti-bullying policy and efforts will be made to try to get him/her to see the situation from the perspective of the pupil being bullied;

·        It will be made clear to all involved (each set of pupils and parent(s)/guardian(s)) that in any situation where disciplinary sanctions are required, this is a private matter between the pupil being disciplined, his or her parent(s)/guardian(s) and the school;

Follow up and recording

·        In determining whether a bullying case has been adequately and appropriately addressed the relevant teacher will, as part of his/her professional judgement, take the following factors into account:

– Whether the bullying behaviour has ceased;

– Whether any or all issues between the parties have been resolved as far as is practicable;

-Whether the relationships between the parties have been restored as far as is practicable;

·         Follow-up meetings with the relevant parties involved will be arranged separately with a view to possibly bringing them together at a later date if the pupil who has been bullied is ready and agreeable.

·        Where a parent(s)/guardian(s) is not satisfied that the school has dealt with a bullying case in accordance with these procedures, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be referred, as appropriate, to the school’s complaints procedures.

·        In the event that a parent(s)/guardian(s) has exhausted the school’s complaints procedures and is still not satisfied, the school will advise the parent(s)/guardian(s) of their right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.

Recording of bullying behaviour

The recording of bullying incidents will be done in an objective and factual manner.

The school’s procedures for noting and reporting bullying behaviour are as follows:

       Informal- pre-determination that bullying has occurred

·       All staff must keep a written record of any incidents witnessed by them or notified to them.

·        All incidents must be reported to the relevant teacher

·        While all reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with by the relevant teacher, the relevant teacher must keep a written record of the reports, the actions taken and any discussions with those involved regarding same

·       All records will be kept in a class incident folder and stored in a locked

filing cabinet

·        The relevant teacher must inform the Principal of all incidents being investigated.

       Formal Stage 1-determination that bullying has occurred

·        If it is established by the relevant teacher that bullying has occurred, the relevant teacher must keep appropriate written records which will assist his/her efforts to resolve the issues and restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved.

·        All records will be retained by the relevant teacher.

         Formal Stage 2-Appendix 1

The relevant teacher must use the recording template at Appendix 1 to record the bullying behaviour in the following circumstances:

a) in cases where he/she considers that the bullying behaviour has not been adequately and appropriately addressed within 20 school days after he/she has determined that bullying behaviour occurred; and

b) Where the school has decided as part of its anti-bullying policy that in certain circumstances bullying behaviour must be recorded and reported immediately to the Principal or Deputy Principal as applicable.

Please see examples of bullying behaviour that must be recorded above.

Established intervention strategies

·        Teacher interviews with all pupils

·        Negotiating agreements between pupils and following these up by monitoring progress. This can be on an informal basis or implemented through a more structured mediation process

·        Working with parent(s)/guardian(s)s to support school interventions

·        No Blame Approach

·        Circle Time

·        Restorative interviews

·        Restorative conferencing