Contents
1 Compliance 2
2 Introduction 2
3 Key Principles of Best Practice 2
4 Definition of Bullying 3
5 Relevant School Personnel 6
6 Education Prevention Strategies 7
6.1 Creating a culture of "telling" 7
6.2 Awareness Raising 7
6.3 Other Strategies 9
6.4 Practical tips for building a positive school culture and climate 10
7 School Procedures Regarding Bullying Behaviour 11
7.1 Who Investigates and Deals With Bullying? 11
7.2 Reporting bullying behaviour 11
8 Investigation 12
9 The Schools Programme of Support for Pupils Affected by Bullying 16
10 Supervision and Monitoring of Pupils 16
11 Links to Other Policies 16
12 Children with Special Needs 17
13 Prevention of Harassment 17
14 Monitoring, Evaluation & Review 17
15 Ratification and Review by Board of Management 18
Appendix 1. Restorative Practice 19
Appendix 2:Template for recording bullying behaviour 20
Appendix 3. How parents can support their child 21
Appendix 4: Anti-Cyber-Bullying Guidelines 23
Appendix 5: Checklist for annual review of the anti-bullying policy and its implementation (copy in BOM minutes) 27
Appendix 6: Notification regarding the Board of Management’s annual review of the anti-bullying policy 28
1 Compliance
In accordance with the requirements of Section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and the Code of Behaviour Guidelines for schools issued by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), (now subsumed into The Child and Family Agency -Túsla), the Board of Management of The Harold School has adopted the following anti-bullying policy within the framework of the school’s overall Code of Behaviour. This policy fully complies with the requirements of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools which were published by the Department of Education and Skills (DES) in September 2013.
2 Introduction
In the Harold School - in keeping with our Vision statement - we aim to provide a happy, caring and secure learning environment in which the individual student is enabled to achieve his/her full potential. We try to create a welcoming, safe, respectful and inclusive atmosphere in school. The school climate and atmosphere are created by the actions of everyone in the school. The behaviour of the adults in a child’s life, including parents and teachers has a significant influence on how a child acts. Respect for one another is central to our dealings with all school personnel. All members of the school community are expected to show respect to one another in all that they say and in all that they do.
We have a clear policy on the promotion of good citizenship, where it is made clear that bullying is a form of anti-social behaviour. We make every effort to promote and foster positive self-esteem, self-discipline, respect for self and others and an awareness of the rights and responsibilities we each have as part of any group. In dealing with bullying, we distinguish between the child and the behaviour. However, bullying is WRONG and will not be tolerated.
3 Key Principles of Best Practice
The Board of Management recognises the very serious nature of bullying and the negative impact that it can have on the lives of pupils and is therefore fully committed to the following key principles of best practice in preventing and tackling bullying behaviour:
· A positive school culture and climate which
o is welcoming of difference and diversity and is based on inclusivity
o encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour in a non- threatening environment
o promotes respectful relationships across the school community
(See appendix 1 for practical tips for building a positive school culture and climate)
· Effective leadership
· A school-wide approach
· A shared understanding of what bullying is and its impact
· Implementation of education and prevention strategies (including awareness raising measures) that
o build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils
o and explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying including in particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying
· Effective supervision and monitoring of pupils
· Supports for staff
· Consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour (including use of established intervention strategies)
· On-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy
4 Definition of Bullying
In accordance with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (DES 2013) bullying is defined as follows:
Bullying is unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical conducted, by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time.
The following types of bullying behaviour are included in the definition of bullying:
1. deliberate exclusion, malicious gossip and other forms of relational bullying,
2. cyber-bullying
3. identity-based bullying such as homophobic bullying, racist bullying, bullying based on a person’s membership of the Traveller community and bullying of those with disabilities or special educational needs.
Isolated or once-off incidents of intentional negative behaviour, including a once-off offensive or hurtful text message or other private messaging, do not fall within the definition of bullying and should be dealt with, as appropriate, in accordance with the school’s code of behaviour.
However, in the context of this policy, placing a once-off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying behaviour.
Negative behaviour that does not meet this definition of bullying will be dealt with in accordance with the school’s code of behaviour.
This policy applies to activities and events that take place:
· During school time (including break times)
· Going to and from school
· School tours/trips
· Extra-curricular activities
General behaviours which apply to all types of bullying / · Harassment based on any of the nine grounds in the equality legislation e.g. sexual harassment, homophobic bullying, racist bullying etc.· 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 Bullying / Cyber bullying includes (but is not limited to) communicating via electronic means with the objective of causing hurt, fear, embarrassment, humiliation, alarm and/or distress to one or more persons.
Unlike other forms of bullying a once-off posting can constitute bullying.
While this policy addresses issues related to cyber bullying of students (i.e.situations in which one or more students are the victim[s] of bullying), the policy also applies to teachers and other school staff.
Key Measures Regarding Cyber Bullying
· Staff, pupils, parents and Board of Management (BOM) will be made aware of issues surrounding cyber bullying through the use of appropriate awareness-raising exercises
· Pupils will learn about cyber bullying through Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), assemblies, friendship week activities and other curriculum projects
· Parents will be provided with information and advice on cyber bullying.
· The school will engage a speaker to facilitate a workshop on cyber bullying for 5th and 6th classes annually. Classes 1st to 6th will participate in the 'Safer Internet Day' programme
Staff CPD (Continuous Professional Development) will assist in learning about current technologies
· Pupils will sign an Acceptable Use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) contract
· Parents will be expected to sign an Acceptable Use of ICT contract prior to enrolment and to discuss its meaning with their children
· Pupils and parents will be urged to report all incidents of cyber bullying to the school.
· All reports of cyber bullying will be investigated, recorded, stored in the Principal's office and monitored regularly
· Procedures in our school Anti-Bullying Policy shall apply
· The Gardai will be contacted in cases of actual or suspected illegal content
·
· This policy will be reviewed annually. Pupils, parents and staff will be involved in reviewing and revising this policy and any related school procedure.
· Parents and students are advised that it is illegal for a child under13 to register with and use many social media networks, including Facebook, Instagram, and SnapChat etc.
· The Harold School endeavours to block access to inappropriate websites, using firewalls, antivirus protection and filtering systems and no pupil is allowed to work on the Internet on the school tablets, or any other device within the school which may from time to time be used for such school work, without a member of staff present
Types of Cyber Bullying
· Denigration: Spreading rumors, lies or gossip to hurt a person’s reputation
· 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/Ask.fm/ Twitter/You Tube/Skype/Whatsapp/Instagram or on games consoles
· Abusive website comments/Blogs/Pictures
· Abusive posts on any form of communication technology
· Denigration: Spreading rumors, lies or gossip to hurt a person’s reputation
This list is not exhaustive and the terms used continue to change
(See Appendix 4 re: Cyber Bullying Guidelines and Procedures)
The school reserves the right to apply its anti-bullying policy in respect of bullying that occurs at a location, activity, function or program that is not school related, if in the opinion of the Principal/Deputy Principal and/or the Board of Management the alleged bullying has created a hostile environment at school for the victim, has infringed on the rights of the victim at school and/or has materially or substantially disrupted the education process or the orderly operation of the school.
Identity Based Behaviours
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 / · Spreading rumours about a person’s sexual orientation
· 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 / · Discrimination, prejudice, comments or insults about colour, nationality, culture, social class, religious beliefs, ethnic or traveller background
· Exclusion on the basis of any of the above
Relational / This involves manipulating relationships as a means of bullying. Behaviours include:
· 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
Sexual / · Unwelcome or inappropriate sexual comments or touching
· Harassment
Special Educational Needs,
Disability / · Name calling
· 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
Additional information on different types of bullying is set out in Section 2 of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. (DES 2013)
5 Relevant School Personnel
While all staff members (both ancillary and teaching) have a duty of care towards pupils, the key personnel involved include; the relevant teacher i.e. the class teacher(s) of all pupils involved, and the Principal/Deputy Principal. Support teachers may be involved if deemed appropriate and/or necessary.
6 Education Prevention Strategies
The education and prevention strategies (including strategies specifically aimed at cyber- bullying and identity-based bullying including in particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying) that will be used by the school are as follows (see Section 6.5 of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools)
6.1 Creating a culture of "telling"
· Encourage a culture of telling, with particular emphasis on the importance of bystanders. In that way pupils will gain confidence in ‘telling’. This confidence factor is of vital importance.
· Bystanders can be the key to resolving bullying and if anyone witnesses bullying behaviour it should be reported. It should be made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying they are not considered to be telling tales but are behaving responsibly.
· Remember – Your silence is the bully’s greatest weapon.
· 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.
Teachers will ensure that class lessons to be provided to enable pupils "how to tell" (telling protocol) and also that they can inform the school by the following means:
o Direct approach to teacher at an appropriate time, for example after class.
o Hand note up with homework.
o Have another pupil tell on their behalf
o Make a phone call to the school or to a trusted teacher in the school.
o Leave a note in the "suggestions box" in the classroom/ at the secretary’s office.
o A parent(s)/guardian(s) or friend to tell on your behalf.
o Administer a bullying survey once a year to all pupils. (This will be done mid-year)