East Wickham Primary Academy (in line with ‘Every Child Matters’) we aim to provide a safe, caring and friendly environment for all our pupils to allow them to learn effectively, improve their life chances and help them maximise their potential. We would expect pupils to feel safe in school, including an understanding of the issues relating to safety, such as bullying. We also want them to feel confident to seek support from school should they feel unsafe.

Definition of Bullying

‘Behaviour by an individual or group usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally’. Safe to Learn: embedding anti bullying work in schools (2007).

How does bullying differ from teasing/falling out between friends or other types of aggressive behaviour?

• There is a deliberate intention to hurt or humiliate.
• There is a power imbalance that makes it hard for the victim to defend themselves.
• It is usually persistent.

Occasionally an incident may be deemed to be bullying even if the behaviour has not been repeated or persistent - if it fulfills all other descriptions of bullying. This possibility should be considered, particularly in cases of sexual, sexist, racist or homophobic bullying and when children with disabilities are involved. If the victim might be in danger then intervention is urgently required.

What does bullying include?

• taunting
• name calling
• mocking
• making offensive comments
• physical assault
• taking or damaging belongings
• cyber bullying - inappropriate text messaging and e mailing; sending offensive or degrading images by phone or via the internet
• producing offensive graffiti
• gossiping and spreading hurtful and untruthful rumours
• excluding people from groups.

Although bullying can occur between individuals it can often take place in the presence (virtually or physically) of others who become the ‘bystanders’ or ‘accessories’.

National Helplines

    ChildLine − Tel: 0800 11 11
    Kidscape − Tel: 0845 205 204 - Bullying counsellors
    Advisory Centre for Education − Tel: 0300 0115 142 − Advice line for parents on all matters concerning schools

Useful Websites:

http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/send-resources/cyberbullying-send/cyberbullying-information-for-parents.aspx

www.thinkuknow.co.uk – UK online safety site of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre with lots of information and activities

www.childnet.com – a range of resources for primary and secondary schools, for children and young people, for teachers and for parents

http://www.childnet.com/young-people/secondary – a website that informs about the potential dangers online (including bullying), and advice on how to stay safe while chatting

www.stoptextbully.com – a website dedicated to mobile phone bullying, contains advice for young people including how to contact your operator

Anti-Bullying Policy