Anti-Bullying Policy

Introduction:

The Board of Management, teaching and non-teaching staff, parents/guardians, pupils and community of Scoil Mhuire, Woodview, Lucan, are committed to:

(1) Devising school based measures to prevent and deal with bullying behaviour.

(2) Increasing the awareness of bullying behaviour in the school community.

 We acknowledge that the role of the school is to provide the highest possible standard of education for all its pupils. Bullying, by its nature, undermines and dilutes the quality of education and imposes psychological damage. Countering bullying behaviour is encouraged as a normal part of our schools effective operation.

Policy Aims:

  • To create a school ethos which encourages children to disclose incidents of bullying behaviour.
  • To raise awareness of bullying as a form of unacceptable behaviour with school management, teachers, pupils, parents/guardians.
  • To ensure comprehensive supervision and monitoring measures through which all areas of school activity are kept, under observation.
  • To develop procedures for noting and reporting incidents of bullying behaviour.
  • To develop procedures for investigating and dealing with incidents of bullying behaviour.
  • To work with and through the various local agencies in countering all forms of bullying and anti-social behaviour.

To evaluate the effectiveness of school policy on anti-bullying behaviour.

 Our school climate encourages respect, trust, care, consideration and support for others. Moreover, we should be firm, clear and consistent in our disciplinary measures. We favour techniques based on positive motivation more than methods that are based on threat and fear.

What is Bullying?

Bullying is repeated & continuous aggression, verbal, psychological or physical, conducted by an individual or group against another.

Isolated incidents of aggressive behaviour, which should not be condoned, can scarcely be described as bullying. However, when the behaviour is systematic and ongoing it is bullying.

Any pupil can be a victim of or perpetrator of bullying.

Why do children bully?

It is generally accepted that bullying is a learned behaviour. Pupils who bully tend to display aggressive attitudes combined with a low level of self-esteem.

Children become bullies for many reasons. Some of these reasons are;

  • They may feel insecure and inadequate.
  •  They may be bullied by parents or older children at home.
  •  They may find it difficult to fit in with other children.
  •  They may feel they must succeed at all costs.
  •  They may be very spoilt and go totally unchallenged at home.
  •  They may be constantly humiliated by others and in turn do this to other children.
  •  They may be physically, sexually or emotionally abused themselves.

 Where can bullying happen?

Bullying can take place anywhere

  • In school, in class, in the playground
  •  On the way to or from school
  •  At activities outside of school
  •  On the road / in the home etc.

 Note: factors having their origins in differences or conflicts between parties outside the school may contribute to increased incidents of bullying within the school.

Types of Bullying:

(a) Pupil Behaviour

1. Extortion

 Demands for money may be made, often accompanied by threats (sometimes carried out) in the event of the victim not promptly “paying up”. Victims’ lunches, or money may be taken. Victims may also be forced into theft of property for delivery to the bully. Sometimes, this tactic is used with the sole purpose of incriminating the victim.

2. Intimidation

 Some bullying behaviour takes the form intimidation. It is based on the use of very aggressive body language with the voice being used as a weapon. Particularly upsetting to victims can be the so-called “look” – a facial expression which conveys aggression, dislike or contempt.

3. Abusive Telephone Calls

 The abusive anonymous telephone call is form of verbal intimidation or bullying.

4. Isolation

 This form of bullying behaviour seems to be more prevalent among girls. A certain person is deliberately isolated, excluded or ignored by some or all of the class or peer group.

5. Name Calling

 Persistent name-calling directed at the same individuals(s), which hurts, insults or humiliates should be regarded as a form of bullying behaviour. Most name-calling of this type refers to physical appearance, e.g. “big ears”, size or clothes worn. Accent or distinctive voice characteristics may attract negative attention.

Academic ability can also provoke name-calling. This tends to operate at two extremes. First, there are those who are singled out for attention because they are perceived to be slow, or weak, academically. These pupils are often referred to as “dummies”, “dopes”, or donkeys”. At the other extreme are those who, because they are perceived as high achievers, are labelled “swots”, “brain boxes”, “licks”, “teacher’s pets, nerds, etc.

6. Slagging

 This behaviour usually refers to the good-natured banter which goes on as part of the normal social interchange between people. However, when this slagging extends to very personal remarks aimed again and again at the one individual about appearance, clothing, personal hygiene or involves references of an uncomplimentary nature to members of one’s family, then it assumes the form of bullying. Suggestive remarks about a pupil’s sexual orientation can also be classified as bullying.

7. Malicious Rumours

 Spreading malicious rumours about a person is also a form of bullying.

8. Physical Aggression

 This behaviour is more common among boys than girls. It includes pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, poking and tripping people up. It may also take the form of severe physical assault. While boys commonly engage in “mess fights” these can often be used as a disguise for physical harassment or inflicting pain.

9. Damage to Property

 Personal property can be the focus of attention for the bully. This may result in damage to clothing, schoolbooks and other learning materials. The contents of school bags and pencil cases may be scattered on the floor. Items of personal property may be defaced, broken, stolen or hidden.

(b) Teacher Behaviour:

A teacher may, unwittingly or otherwise, engage in, instigate or reinforce bullying behaviour in a number of ways:- 

Using sarcasm or other insulting or demeaning form of language when addressing pupils; making negative comment about a pupil’s appearance or background

Humiliating directly or indirectly, a pupil who is particularly academically weak or outstanding, or vulnerable in other ways; 

Indications of Bullying/Behaviour – Signs and Symptoms

The following signs/symptoms may suggest that a pupil is being bullied: -

  • Anxiety about travelling to and from school – requesting parents to drive or collect them, changing route of travel, avoiding regular times for travelling to and from school;
  • Fear of going out to yard; 
  • Unwillingness to go to school, refusal to attend, particularly among older children;
  • Mitching
  • Deterioration in educational performance, loss of concentration and loss of enthusiasm and interest in school;
  • Pattern of physical illnesses (e.g. headaches, stomach aches);
  • Unexplained changes either in mood or behaviour. These may be particularly noticeable before returning to school after longer school holidays;
  • Visible signs of anxiety or distress – stammering, withdrawing, nightmares, difficulty, crying, not eating, vomiting, bedwetting;
  • Spontaneous out-of-character comments about either pupils or teachers;
  • Possessions missing or damaged;
  • Increased requests for money or stealing money to meet extortion demands;
  • Unexplained bruising or cuts or damaged clothing;
  • Reluctance and/or refusal to say what is troubling him/her;
  • Becoming isolated in the class;
  • Unexplained absences; 
  • May begin to bully other smaller children

 Those signs do not necessarily mean that a pupil is being that a pupil is being bullied. They can also be indicative of other problems. If repeated or occurring in combination those signs do warrant investigation in order to establish what is affecting the pupil.

Role of the school

PROCEDURES FOR NOTING AND REPORTING AN INCIDENT OF BULLYING BEHAVIOUR.

1. Teachers should complete a “Record of Bullying Behaviour” sheet for the formal noting and reporting of an incident of bullying behaviour. This procedure should be seen to be an integral part of the Code of Behaviour and Discipline in the school. 

2. All reports of bullying, should be investigated and dealt with by class teacher or teacher on yard duty. In that way pupils will gain confidence in “telling”. 

3. Incidents of bullying behaviour by pupils should be referred immediately to the Principal or Vice Principal. 

4. Parents or guardians of victims and bullies should be informed by the Principal or earlier rather than later of serious incidents so that they are given the opportunity of discussing matter. They are then in a position to help and support their children before a crisis occurs. 

5. The classroom teacher is the appropriate person to whom parents/guardians can make their enquiries regarding incidents of bullying behaviour, which they might suspect or that have come to their attention through their children. 

6. It should be made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying they are not telling tales, but are behaving responsibly. 

7. Non-teaching staff such as secretaries, caretakers, SNAs, cleaners should be encouraged to report any incidents of bullying behaviour witnessed by them, to the appropriate member of staff. 

8. In the case of a complaint regarding a staff member, this should in the first instance be raised with the staff member in question and if necessary, with the Principal. 

9. Where cases, relating to either a pupil or a teacher remain unresolved at school level, the matter should be referred to the School’s Board of Management. 

PROCEDURES FOR INVESTIGATING AND DEALING WITH BULLYING 

Teachers are best advised to take a calm, unemotional problem-solving approach when dealing with incidents of bullying behaviour reported by either pupils, staff or parents/guardians. In any incident of bullying, the teacher should speak separately to the pupils involved, in an attempt to get both sides of the story. All interviews should 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.

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

2. If a gang is involved, each member should be interviewed individually and then the gang should be met as a group. Each member should be asked for his/her account of what happened to ensure that everyone is clear about what everyone else has said. 

3. If it is concluded that a pupil has engaged in bullying behaviour, it should be made clear to him/her how he/she is in breach of the Code of Behaviour and Discipline and try to get him/her to see the situation from the victim’s point of view 

4. Each member of the gang should be helped to handle the possible pressures that often face them from the other pupils after interview by the teacher. 

5. Teachers who are investigating serious cases of bullying behaviour should keep a written record of their discussions with those involved. It may also be appropriate or helpful to ask those involved to write down their account of the incident. 

6. In cases where it has been determined that serious bullying behaviour has occurred, meet with the parents or guardians of two parties involved as appropriate. Explain the actions being taken and the reasons for them, referring them to the school policy. Discuss ways in which they can reinforce or support the actions taken by the school.

Role of Parents

What can be done?

It is important to be realistic: it may not be possible for a single child to assert his/her rights if attacked by a gang. Children should be advised to get away and tell in situations such as this. Tell them that you would have done the same in such a situation. 

Teaching your child to say “No” in a good assertive tone of voice will help your child to deal with many situations. A child’s self image and body language may send out messages to potential bullies. 

Children should be encouraged to talk about bullying and given an opportunity to express their concerns. 

Approach your child’s teacher if the bullying is school related. It is important for you to understand that bullying in school can be difficult for teachers to detect because of the large numbers of children involved. Teachers will appreciate bullying being brought to light. School bullying requires that parents and teachers work together for a resolution. 

Very often parental advice to a child is to “hit back” at the bully if the abuse is physical. This is not always realistic as it requires a huge amount of courage and indeed sometimes makes the situation worse. Children should not be encouraged to engage in violent behaviour. Teaching children to be more assertive and to tell is far more positive and effective. 

Keep an account of incidents to help you assess how serious the problem is. Many children, with a little help overcome this problem very quickly.

What if you child is a bully?

1. Don’t panic. This may be a temporary response to something else in the child’s life, e.g. a new baby, a death in the family, a difficult home problem etc. Give your child an opportunity to talk about anything that could be upsetting him/her.

2. Don’t punish bullying by being a bully yourself. Hitting and verbal attack will make the situation worse. Talk to your child and try to find out if there is a problem. Explain how the victim felt. Try to get the child to understand the victim’s point of view. This would need to be done over time.

3. Bullies often suffer from poor self-esteem. Use every opportunity you can to praise and affirm your child. Don’t only look for negatives.

4. Talk to the child’s teacher and try to find out more about the child’s school behaviour. Enlist the teacher’s help in dealing with this. It is important that you both take the same approach.

5. If the situation is serious you may need to ask the school or your G.P. to refer your child to the Child Guidance Clinic for help.

Finally:

This policy has been drawn up by the staff of the school in conjunction with the members of the Parent’s Association. It has been approved by the Board of Management.

May 1998.