Anti-Bullying Policy – Hartley Primary Academy

Document Title

Academic Integrity

Version number

Policy 1.4

Policy status

Current

Date of Issue

September 2023

Date to be revised

September 2024

Date

Version number

Brief detail of change

1/2/17

1.0

Policy updated and separated from ‘Behaviour Policy including Anti Bullying and Racism’

01/07/18

1.1

Policy and updated based on the DfE guidance ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying’, July 2017.

1/09/21

1.2

Addition of ‘supporting organisations and guidance’

1/09/22

1.3

Policy updated to reflect new behaviour policy and KCSIE 2022

1/09/23

1.4

Policy updated to reflect KCSIE 2023

This policy takes into account Keeping Children Safe In Education 2023 and is based on DfE guidance: ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying Advice for Principals, staff and governing bodies, July

2017’ and supporting documents: ‘Supporting children and young people who are bullied: advice for schools, 17th November 2014’; ‘Cyberbullying: advice for Headteachers and school staff, November 2014’; ‘Advice for parents and carers on cyberbullying, November 2014’; ‘Childnet’s “Cyberbullying: Understand, Prevent, Respond: Guidance for Schools’

Aims

This policy outlines what Hartley Primary Academy will do to prevent and tackle all forms of bullying.
The policy has been drawn up through the involvement of the whole school community and we are committed to developing an anti-bullying culture where no bullying of adults, children or young people will be tolerated.

Our school community

The community of Hartley Primary Academy recognises that bullying, especially if left unaddressed, can have a devastating eect on individuals; it can create a barrier to learning and have serious consequences for mental health and wellbeing. By eectively preventing and tackling bullying, our school can help to create a safe, disciplined environment, where pupils are able to learn and fulfil their potential.

Monitors and reviews our anti-bullying policy and practice on a regular basis.
Supports all staff to promote positive relationships to help prevent bullying.
Recognises that some members of our community may be more vulnerable to bullying and its impact than others; being aware of this will help us develop effective strategies to prevent bullying from happening and provide appropriate support, if required.
Will intervene by identifying and tackling bullying behaviour appropriately and promptly.
Ensures that pupils are aware that all bullying concerns will be dealt with sensitively and effectively; that everyone should feel safe to learn; and that pupils abide by the anti-bullying policy.
Requires all members of the community to work with the school to uphold the anti-bullying policy.
Reports back to parents/carers regarding concerns on bullying and deals promptly with complaints.
Parents/carers in turn work with the school to uphold the anti-bullying policy.
Seeks to learn from good anti-bullying practice elsewhere and utilises support from the LAT, Local Authority and other relevant organisations when appropriate.

Definition of Bullying

Bullying is “Behaviour by an individual or a group, usually repeated over time that intentionally hurts another individual either physically or emotionally”. (DfE “Preventing and Tackling Bullying”, July 2017)
Bullying can include: name calling, taunting, mocking, making oensive comments; kicking; hitting; taking belongings; producing oensive grati; gossiping; excluding people from groups and spreading hurtful and untruthful rumours.
This includes the same unacceptable behaviours expressed online, sometimes called online or cyberbullying. This can include: sending oensive, upsetting and inappropriate messages by phone, text, instant messenger, through gaming, websites, social media sites and apps, and sending oensive or degrading photos or videos.
Bullying can be a form of child on child abuse and be emotionally abusive; it can cause severe and adverse eects on children’s emotional development.

Forms of bullying covered by this Policy

Bullying can happen to anyone. This policy covers all types of bullying including:

Bullying related to race, religion, nationality or culture.
Bullying related to SEND (Special Educational Needs or Disability).
Bullying related to appearance or physical/mental health conditions.
Bullying related to sexual orientation (homophobic bullying).
Bullying of young carers, children in care or otherwise related to home circumstances.
Sexist, sexual and transphobic bullying.
Bullying via technology, known as online bullying or cyberbullying.

Preventing, identifying and responding to bullying

The school community will:

Create and support an inclusive environment which promotes a culture of mutual respect, consideration and care for others which will be upheld by all.
Work with staff, the wider community and outside agencies to prevent and tackle concerns including all forms of prejudice-driven bullying.
Actively create “safe spaces” for vulnerable children and young people.
Recognise that bullying can be perpetrated or experienced by any member of the community, including adults and children (child on child abuse).
Challenge practice and language which does not uphold the values of tolerance, non-discrimination and respect towards others.
Celebrate success and achievements to promote and build a positive school ethos.
Be encouraged to use technology, especially mobile phones and social media positively and responsibly.
Openly discuss dierences between people that could motivate bullying such as: religion, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality or appearance related dierence. Also children with dierent family situations, such as looked after children or those with caring responsibilities.
Provide a range of approaches for pupils, staff and parents/carers to access support and report concerns.
Regularly update and evaluate our approaches to take into account the developments of technology and provide up-to-date advice and education to all members of the community regarding positive online behaviour.
Use a variety of techniques to resolve the issues between those who bully and those who have been bullied.
Implement appropriate disciplinary sanctions; the consequences of bullying will reflect the seriousness of the incident, so that others see that bullying is unacceptable.
Take appropriate, proportionate and reasonable action, in line with existing school policies, for any bullying brought to the schools attention, which involves or aects pupils, even when they are not on school premises; for example, when using school transport or online.

Involvement of pupils

We will:

Regularly canvas children and young people’s views on the extent and nature of bullying.
Ensure that all pupils know how to express worries and anxieties about bullying.
Ensure that all pupils are aware of the range of sanctions which may be applied against those engaging in bullying.
Involve pupils in anti-bullying campaigns in schools and embedded messages in the wider school curriculum.
Publicise the details of helplines as well as external helplines and websites.
Offer support to pupils who have been bullied and to those who are bullying in order to address the worries and problems they have.

Liaison with parents and carers

We will:

Make sure that key information (including policies and named points of contact) about bullying is available to parents/carers in a variety of formats.
Ensure all parents/carers know about our complaints procedure and how to use it eectively to raise concerns in an appropriate manner.
Ensure all parents/carers know where to contact if they are worried about bullying and where to access independent advice.
Work with all parents/carers and the local community to address issues beyond the school gates that give rise to bullying.
Ensure that parents work with the school to role model positive behaviour for pupils, both on and oine

Dealing with Bullying Incidents

The following steps may be taken when dealing with all incidents of bullying reported to the school:

If bullying is suspected or reported, the incident will be dealt with immediately by the member of staff who has been approached or witnessed the concern.
The school will provide appropriate support for the person being bullied – making sure they are not at risk of immediate harm and will involve them in any decision-making, as appropriate.
A clear and precise account of the incident will be recorded and given to the Principal and/or Designated Safeguarding Lead via Bromcom reporting.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead, or Deputy, will be informed of all bullying issues where there are safeguarding concerns.
The Principal/ Designated Safeguarding Lead will interview all parties involved and will record the incident in accordance with school procedures.
Teachers and other relevant members of staff will be kept informed as appropriate.
When responding to online bullying concerns, the school will take all available steps to identify the perpetrator, including looking at the school systems, identifying and interviewing possible witnesses, and contacting the service provider and the police, if necessary.
- If content posted online is offensive or inappropriate, and the person or people responsible are known, then the school will ensure that they understand why the material is unacceptable or offensive and will request that they remove it.
- If a criminal offence has been committed, then the police may need to be involved to enable the service provider to look into the data of another user or to respond to credible threats of harm.

Where the bullying takes place outside of the school site (including online bullying), then the school will ensure that the concern is investigated and that appropriate action is taken in accordance with the school’s Behaviour Policy.
Parents/carers of all children involved will be kept informed.
Sanctions will be used as appropriate and in consultation with all parties concerned.
If necessary and appropriate, the police (if a criminal offence has been committed) or other local services (including children’s social care where a child is felt to be at risk of significant harm) will be consulted or involved.

Supporting Pupils

Pupils who have been bullied will be supported by:

Oering an immediate opportunity to discuss the experience with their teacher or a member of staff of their choice.
Being advised to keep a record of the bullying as evidence and discuss how to respond to concerns and build resilience as appropriate.
Reassuring the pupil and providing continuous support.
Restoring self-esteem and confidence.
Working with the wider community and local/national organisations to provide further or specialist advice and guidance.

Pupils who have bullied will be helped by:

Discussing what happened and establishing the concern and the need to change.
Informing parents/carers to help change the attitude and behaviour of the child.
Providing appropriate education and support.
If online, requesting that content be removed and reporting accounts/content to service providers.
Sanctioning in line with school Behaviour Policy. This may include ocial warnings, detentions, removal of privileges (including online access when encountering online bullying concerns), fixed-term and/or permanent exclusions.
Speaking with police or local services.

Supporting Adults

Adults (staff and parents) who have been bullied or affected will be supported by:

Oering an immediate opportunity to discuss the concern with the designated safeguarding lead and/or a senior member of staff/Principal.
Being advised to keep a record of the bullying as evidence and discuss how to respond to concerns and build resilience as appropriate.
Where the bullying takes place outside of the school site (including online) then the school will ensure that the concern is investigated and that appropriate action is taken in accordance with the schools behaviour and discipline policy.
If the bullying takes place online, support those aected by reporting content and/or accounts to the service provider as appropriate.
Reassuring and oering appropriate support.
Working with the wider community and local/national organisations to provide further or specialist advice and guidance.

Adults (staff and parents) who have bullied will be helped by:

Discussing what happened with a senior member of staff and establishing the concern.
Clarifying the schools social procedures for complaints or concerns.
If online, requesting that content be removed.
Instigating disciplinary, civil or legal action.

Legislation

There are a number of pieces of legislation which set out measures and actions for schools in response to bullying as well as criminal and civil law. These may include (but are not limited to):