Anti Bullying Information
Key information
Click HERE for our Anti Bullying Policy
Anti-bullying is concerned with identifying and promoting positive behaviour within a caring Christian atmosphere, enabling children to grow, to learn and to develop positive attitudes. It is also concerned with the identification of any bullying behaviour and the successful eradication of it.
Bullying is a persistent, deliberate attempt to hurt or humiliate someone and can take many forms, from teasing and spreading rumours to pushing someone around and causing physical harm. It often happens in front of other people. People might bully someone because of their religion or the country they are from, the way they look or how well they do in school, among other reasons.
Bullying can impact on a child’s physical and emotional health, with the effects being long lasting in some cases. Bullying can also affect a child’s experience of school and ability to build relationships. It can cause sadness, loneliness, low self-esteem, fear, anxiety and poor concentration, and lead to self-harm, depression, suicidal thoughts and, in some cases, suicide. Bullying behaviour is characterised by three things:
- it is repeated over time
- it involves deliberately hurtful behaviour
- it involves an unfair balance of power that makes it hard for those being bullied to defend themselves.
Key warning signs of bullying are:
- not wanting to go to or skipping school
- suddenly becoming ill when it's time for school
- being frightened to walk to and from school
- losing interest in schoolwork
- running away
- changes in behaviour - becoming anxious or aggressive
- loss of appetite
- having nightmares
- self-harm
- asking for money or starting to steal
- ‘losing’ possessions at school
- bullying younger brothers or sisters
- more bruises or scratches than usual or injuries with no feasible explanation for them
Bullies who continually harm other children need support and help as well. They may have experienced difficulties of their own at home which could have led to their actions.
What Can Parents Do?
- Talk with their child and cultivate and maintain open, candid communictaion. Conversation starters include:
- There have been a lot of news stories about people being bullied. Do you know of people like this?
- Have you ever had any problems with people on the Internet?
- Has anyone ever bothered or threatened you?
- Do you know of any children who are picked on at school?
- How can I help it stop without embarrassing you?
- Parents should also observe and listen
- Offer to drive your child and his/her friends to events
- Observe their interactions with friends
- Pay attention to changes
- Empathise with your child. Help them understand bullying is wrong and it is not their fault.
- Document bullying incidents
- Get help for your child at school. Increase awareness and supervision of your child
- Encourage your child to pursue interests and activities to build more positive relationships
- Help your child develop strategies and skills for handling bullying
What To Do if You are Being Bullied
- Don't respond or show a reaction. Bullies like to see that they can upset you
- Calmly and assertively tell the bully to stop...or say nothing and walk away
- Avoid areas where there are not many others around
- Sit with a trusted group of friends on the bus or at lunch
- Join activities which you like to make more positive friendships
- Always REPORT any bullying that does not stop or makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe to your parents. teacher or another adult you trust
- If you are bullied online - STOP - BLOCK- TELL
What the School Will Do
All children are entitled to courteous and respectful treatment by other pupils and staff whilst at school. As a school we have the responsibility to ensure your child has a safe learning environment. With this aim, we will:
- Listen to what you / your child has to say
- We will support your child within the frameowrk of our anti-bullying policy
- We will investigate what you have said and then report to you what we have found out and what we have done to help your child.
- Engage pupils in prevention within out PSHE teaching
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