Anti - Bullying Policy 2024

Burnopfield

Primary School

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Anti-bullying Policy

Reviewed biennially

Reviewed by Leadership Team

Autumn 2024

Burnopfield Primary School

Anti-Bullying Policy

Introduction

Burnopfield Primary School is a large primary school situated in North Durham within the district of Derwentside.

The school provides full time education for pupils aged 4-11 years and offers a 52 place nursery.

The school welcomes pupils from all backgrounds irrespective of gender, disability, race and different culture.

Burnopfield Primary School is committed to providing a safe, secure and positive environment where children can achieve their potential. We believe that all pupils have the right to have themselves and their property treated with respect.

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our school

Policy Information

The original policy was updated and enhanced in conjunction with the School Council after consultation with pupils, parents, carers, staff and governors and is reviewed on a bi-annual basis. The policy and subsequent guidelines will continue to be monitored by the Head Teacher and Pastoral staff, who have specific responsibility for ensuring that pupils and staff work in an anti-bullying environment. In addition, this policy is linked to other key policies and strategies including:

Inclusion/SEN
Community Cohesion
Confidentiality
On-line safety
Child Protection and Safeguarding
Equal Opportunities

Principles

Burnopfield Primary seeks to provide a safe, secure and positive environment in which children can develop and grow making full use of the range of facilities available to them.

Children and the adults involved with them are entitled to be treated with respect and understanding, and to participate in any activity free from intimidation.

At Burnopfield Primary we will seek to ensure that we will:

Actively listen to children and young people;

Act appropriately on information received;

In doing this we will ensure that a safe, secure, positive environment exists enabling all who work within our school community to do so in the knowledge that helps, and above all action will be undertaken to eradicate bullying.

Definition of Bullying

Bullying is a subjective experience and can take many forms, making it extremely difficult to define. Children, young people and adults can bully. The nature of bullying is changing and evolving as technology develops.

Bullying is harmful to all involved, not just the bullied, and can lead to self-doubt, lack of confidence, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, self-harm and sometimes even suicide. In addition, bullying can be difficult to detect.

Bullying generally fits into one of two categories: emotionally or physically harmful behaviour

At Burnopfield we define bullying as deliberately, hurtful behaviour, repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves.

It can take many forms but the main forms are:

Emotional - Name calling; taunting; mocking; making offensive comments; gossiping; excluding people from groups; and spreading hurtful and untruthful rumours.
Physical - kicking; hitting; pushing; taking belongings; or any form of violence
Cyber – all internet or mobile phone misuse e.g. text messaging; emailing (see e-safety policy for further details)
Racist – racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
Sexual discrimination – taunts about sexual orientation of pupils;

parents/carers including family members

Religious or cultural
SEN or disabilities including health conditions.

Bullying behaviour is not a natural part of growing up and should not be seen as such.

Detection

Bullying is sometimes difficult to detect, especially if victims are reluctant to report the incidents and there are no witnesses.

At Burnopfield we are committed to fostering an ‘open’ atmosphere where issues can be raised and discussed and where everyone is aware of anti bullying procedures and measures.

We firmly believe that for an anti-bullying policy to operate successfully, it requires the full co-operation of children, staff, parents and governors in ensuring that this is a priority in the day to day life of the school.

The behaviour of children, young people and adults is not always easily understood. Changes in behaviour may have many causes. Being bullied can be one reason why a child or young person’s behaviour changes, signs to look out for may include:

Reluctance to attend school
Unexplained cuts, bruises, aches and pains
Becomes withdrawn or lacking in confidence
Lapses in concentration
Possessions that are damaged or go missing
Deterioration in performance or achievement at school.
Displays of aggressive, unreasonable or disruptive behaviour

These signs can also be an indication of other problems and may not always be linked to bullying. Some victims of bullying do not appear to reveal any outward signs.

Policy to Practice

We see the implementation of our Anti- Bullying Policy as being a partnership between the children, staff, parents and governors. An extension of this partnership will include other agencies and organisations in supporting our practice where necessary

Our guidelines are based upon three important points:

We cannot expect children and young people to draw attention to bullying when it happens – the adults must accept responsibility and take steps to make sure that they are aware of what is happening.
It is up to all adults within an organisation to take bullying seriously, and to do something about it.
Adults must be a positive role model in the way they treat other adults, or children and young people. Their own behaviour must not be seen to encourage bullying.

Prevention

At Burnopfield we use a range of strategies and activities. We pride ourselves on having a strong ethos which promotes tolerance and respect, including respect for tolerance and diversity

Preventative strategies and activities change and evolve as situations dictate but the following form the basis of our policy:

Demonstration of high expectations for acceptable behaviour

Rewards for positive behaviour and sanctions for unacceptable behaviour
Home/school agreements (including on-line safety ) are in place from Nursery to Year 6
Staff lead by example
Children are well supervised at all times
Children are supported to learn about what constitutes bullying and what they can do about it.
Children are familiar with procedures and support networks.
Awareness of anti-bullying messages and procedures are raised in the classroom and via assemblies e.g what happens during lunchtimes etc when children are supervised by others.
Any form of prejudice is challenged immediately upon detection. This may require further anti-bullying/intervention strategies on a 1:1, class or whole school level
Posters and anti-bullying information displayed around school
Personal well-being, RSHE and healthy schools initiatives are embedded into the curriculum and all aspects of school life
Children and parents are engaged and involved in the development and review of anti-bullying policies
There is an active school council and anti- bullying focus group
Transition is well supported
Established mini buds and buddy systems are in place
Strong pastoral team to support children

On-line safety messages are reinforced regularly in each year group to highlight key messages and procedures (see online safety policy)
Safe and responsible use of the internet and technology is reinforced across the wider curriculum and subject areas
Establishing of on-line safety group to deliver key online safety messages and demonstrate good practice
Particular attention to on-line safety education is given where pupils are considered to be vulnerable

Staff are not permitted to use personal devices such as mobile phones or cameras to take photos or videos of pupils and will only use work-provided equipment for this purpose
On-line safety Information and guidance is shared regularly with parents in a variety of formats
Parents are encouraged to discuss and sign the on-line safety element of the Home School Agreement

Intervention

Anti-bullying key messages are reinforced regularly during teaching time and assemblies
Children are aware of support networks and help available -information displayed around school
Children take part in themed anti-bullying week activities to celebrate differences and encourage taking responsibility for making positive behaviour choices
All suspected bullying incidents should be recorded on CPOMs and key staff alerted. Anti-bullying coordinator- Mrs Ferris, is automatically copied into all bullying CPOMs entries.
Restorative behaviour management systems are in place for children and are reinforced and facilitated by staff so that all children take responsibility for their actions and the consequences.
If friendship issues/unkindness/bullying are occurring in class then the teacher will address these issues during circle time/ RSHE lessons or using restorative behaviour model. Peers will be encouraged to provide support for each other by reporting incidents or talking about issues during the day or showing compassion/support at playtime etc.
The class teacher will continue to monitor the situation and use their judgement to decide whether or not the matter needs to be referred to the anti-bullying coordinator /Senior Leadership Team for further action/intervention
Anti-bullying coordinator will investigate by speaking to the persons involved, and any witnesses. Restorative behaviour techniques will be used at this point and further information about the incident will be logged
In more serious or on-going cases the Head Teacher or anti-bullying coordinator may decide to enlist the help of other agencies to provide the necessary support for those involved
A more formal investigation will take place
All bullying claims/incidents must be recorded on CPOM’s and investigated
Incidents will be reviewed weekly by the anti-bullying coordinator and termly by the Leadership Team so that any patterns can be identified and dealt with promptly and effectively.
Further action required may involve CPD with staff and/or individualised support or training. This will also impact upon the review of the Anti-Bullying Policy and the actions of the anti-bullying coordinator
Parents will be informed if necessary, at the first available opportunity
A meeting with parents and children will be arranged if necessary
All staff members will show compassion to those involved and be sensitive to any special needs or family problems
If necessary, and as a last resort, the police may be informed

It is important that staff, parents and children understand that any alleged bullying incidents are handled with sensitivity, discretion and confidentiality

Outcomes

Children will be encouraged to use the restorative approach to take responsibility for diffusing bullying situations and move forward
Staff will support pupils to use this approach
Targeted work around empathy, friendship etc will take place in class so that children can learn and grow from any incidents
Other consequences/sanctions may be implemented
In the most serious cases, suspension will be considered
After thorough investigation and resolving of the incident/s, cases will be monitored to minimise chances of reoccurrence
The perpetrator may need additional intervention and appropriate support will be put in place to assist e.g. individual, groups or whole class so that the child knows what is acceptable and why their behaviour is inappropriate.
If bullying has been of a cyber nature, then behaviour and action will be taken to address this. The person concerned will be reminded of the need for a responsible and mature approach to accessing online services and the importance of being a good “Digital Citizen.” Further intervention work will take place to reinforce the message of safe and appropriate behaviour when posting on line so that any content, comments or images cannot be considered to be threatening, hurtful or defamatory. Serious incidents will be reported to our online safety officer and dealt with under the Serious Incident Protocol of our online safety policy.
All actions, agreed by staff and children at investigation level will be made clear to all involved.

Disapproval will be directed at the behaviour, not the individual.

Monitoring

This is essential to help assess progress and evaluate the impact of the Anti Bullying policy
Children and parents will be asked to complete an annual survey
Bullying incidents will be monitored termly and feedback/data will feed into anti-bullying work across the school and any updates to the policy
Policy will be evaluated for effectiveness bi-annually (or as changes dictate)
Monitoring will be led by the Pastoral leader along with the Leadership Team

All Anti Bullying work and achievements will be celebrated across school in wall displays, key messages and via the school website and twitter

CHILDREN

We do this by:

Continuing to develop a strong ethos based on mutual respect, tolerance and diversity
Leading by example
High expectations and rewards for positive behaviour

Encouraging children to talk openly about their experiences using role play and in lesson time, as part of our RSHE programme and personal well-being
Raising awareness of anti-bullying through assemblies and work-shops
Making all children aware of the consequences of being bullied and being a bully.
Providing a direct line of communication if necessary to a child with genuine fears. This will be directly to the Anti-bullying coordinator or Class teacher
Using KS2 Buddies in KS1 yard as a way of promoting friendship and ‘looking after one another’
Use of problem boxes in all classrooms.
Involvement of the School Council in implementing any policy with regard to anti – bullying, to represent the pupils’ voice. .
Ensuring that any child who alleges they are being bullied is made safe.
Investigate all concerns.
Respecting confidentiality
Monitoring and recording instances of bullying
Setting up of an Anti-Bullying Focus Group

Children and Young People have the right to be safe. All staff have a responsibility to keep them safe.

PARENTS

We do this by:

Making new parents aware of the school’s Anti- Bullying Policy via the school brochure, website, twitter and induction meetings.
Inviting parents to attend any online safety training at school
Involving parents in the establishment of an anti-bullying group within school
Providing brief written guidelines for parents who believe their child may be experiencing bullying behaviour
Ensuring confidentiality
Involving parents and other organisations, if necessary, at an early stage.
Listening to parental concerns and taking appropriate action.
Reporting back to parents on progress of investigations
Home/school agreements

GOVERNORS

We do this by:

Receiving reports from the Head Teacher on the implementation and management of this policy.
Involving governors in the establishment of an anti-bullying group within school
Reviewing our policy and provision on a regular basis
Reviewing incident records and data from the pupil surveys

STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND INSET PROVISION

Staff training and development are linked with the needs of the school and the individual training needs of the staff. These will be determined following consideration of previous inspections, action plans and identified staff needs following the annual audit conducted by the coordinator.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The Leadership Team and the curriculum Sub – Committee will be responsible for monitoring this policy in order to ensure its effectiveness throughout the school. Any changes that are made will be reported to the appropriate Governors’ Sub – Committee (Curriculum).

Guidelines for Parents/Families of Children being Bullied

YOUR CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO BE SAFE.

YOUR CHILD HAS THE RIGHT TO EXPECT OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING YOURSELVES, TO HELP KEEP HIM OR HER SAFE.

If you suspect your child is being bullied:

Talk to your child about what is happening;
Be calm
Show sensitivity
Show concern
Reassure your child that he or she is not to blame
If at all possible, act with your child’s agreement;
Contact your child’s Class Teacher or Anti-bullying coordinator/Pastoral Support Manager
Expect school to take you seriously and take appropriate action;
Maintain contact and work with school.

Some Do’s and Don’ts

Do listen to your child
Do take your child’s concerns seriously
Do encourage your child to tell you what has been happening and in particular to report any trouble that has been encountered
Do help your child to try and find a safe solution
Do talk to School
Do look for signs of distress shown by your child

Don’t ignore your child if they say they are worried about being with certain people or in certain places
Don’t tell your child: “Just put up with it”. Bullying is never acceptable. Action needs to be taken to stop bullying.
Don’t tell your child to fight back. The bully may be stronger. Your child could be hurt or get into trouble.
Don’t immediately rush off and deal with the situation yourself, let the organisation know and leave it to them to deal with.
Don’t approach the parents/carers of the perpetrator as this can make things worse.

Guidelines for Staff on Anti-Bullying

ENSURE THAT BULLYING INCIDENTS ARE DEALT WITH PROMPTLY

The following actions are appropriate for use with children and who are bullied and those who are involved in bullying.

Ensure the immediate safety and well-being of children and young people

Protect and support all parties while the issues are resolved

Take the necessary steps to stop the bullying

Listen to and treat children sympathetically

Discuss the incidents of bullying and subsequent consequences

Consider a range of strategies to ensure that bullying does not occur

again

Record incidents and actions being taken and alert anti-bullying coordinator, the Head Teacher and/or Deputy Head Teacher. Staff can help this process by recording incidents, times, dates and named participants on CPOMs.

If necessary - inform parents and discuss the situation with them calmly. The decision to talk with parents is at your discretion. As a broad measure you may consider a single incident may not be worth reporting at this stage. On the other hand this incident may follow a pattern and intervention may be needed at this point.

If necessary, consider giving any child who has been bullied some advice on online safety. Reinforce the need for taking care of their own online safety and security as some children who feel lonely and isolated may go online to seek friendship. Alternatively, some try to retaliate online so the importance of not publishing specific or detailed private thoughts, especially those that could be perceived as being harmful, distressing or offensive must also be reinforced.

If you feel at any time that the situation could get out of hand, or you need the support of either the anti-bullying coordinator, Acting Head Teachers or Acting Assistant Head Teacher, do not hesitate in seeking support.

Maintain contact and work with parents

Respond calmly and consistently

LISTEN, TAKE ACTION, RECORD AND FOLLOW UP

USEFUL WEBSITES AND CONTACTS