Chafyn Grove Anti-Bullying Policy 

School's Code of conduct

• Treat everyone, whether younger or older, with the same kindness and respect, with which you yourself would wish to be treated.
• Any breach of the law of the land is a breach of school rules.
• No pupil may put the welfare or safety of another in jeopardy through their words or deeds.

The Policy

The whole ethos of Chafyn Grove aims to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding of the needs of others, thus developing a sense of self-esteem and fulfilling an awareness of the importance of tolerance. This is intrinsic in the aims and objectives of the school.

As a community Chafyn Grove recognises that the threshold of tolerance is different for everyone. This Policy recognises the need to respect and support the needs of the individual in this domain.

Physical, verbal or emotional abuse of any member of the community is not acceptable at Chafyn Grove.  Incidents are taken seriously, recorded and appropriate action taken.

A definition of Bullying

Bullying may be defined as the intentional hurting, harming or humiliating of another person by physical (including sexual), verbal (including chat room and SMS messages), and emotional means (by excluding, tormenting or spreading malicious rumours).  It can involve manipulating a third party to tease or torment someone.  It can involve complicity that falls short of direct participation.  Bullying is often hidden and subtle. It can also be overt and intimidatory. The results of bullying can lead to severe psychological damage or even the risk of suicide.

Bullying may involve actions or comments that are racist, homophobic, which focus on disabilities or other physical attributes (such as hair colour or body shape).  Bullying can happen anywhere and at any time.  We always treat it very seriously.  It conflicts sharply with the school's policy on equal opportunities, as well as with its social and moral principles.

Bullying is any behaviour, which is deliberately intended to hurt, threaten or frighten another person or group of people. It is usually unprovoked and is, by definition, often repeated and can continue for a long period of time. It always reflects an imbalance and abuse of power. Bullying behaviours are aggressive although they may not seem so. These patterns of behaviour damage self-esteem both in the aggressor and the victim.

All people have the potential to bully others or to be bullied. Bullies are often highly socially competent people, who may provide plausible explanations for their conduct.

Bullying can be carried out by an individual or within the context of a group of people, where individuals have different status, with one being the leader. It is likely that the leader will be quite able and articulate. Repeated teasing should be viewed as bullying. It is, however, not bullying when two young people of about the same size and strength have the odd fight or quarrel. Although this kind of behaviour is not bullying it will still be taken seriously by the school.

 

Signs of bullying

Changes in behaviour that may indicate that a pupil is being bullied include:

• Unwillingness to return to school
• Displays of excessive anxiety, becoming withdrawn or unusually quiet
• Failure to produce work, or producing unusually bad work, or work that appears to have been copied, interfered with or spoilt by others
• Books, bags and other belongings suddenly go missing, or are damaged
• Change to established habits (e.g. giving up music lessons, change to accent or vocabulary)
• Diminished levels of self confidence
• Frequent visits to the Sick Bay with symptoms such as stomach pains, headaches
• Unexplained cuts and bruises
• Frequent absence, erratic attendance, late arrival to class
• Choosing the company of adults
• Displaying repressed body language and poor eye contact
• Difficulty in sleeping, experiences nightmares
• Talking of suicide or running away

Although there may be other causes for some of the above symptoms, a repetition of, or a combination of these possible signs of bullying should be investigated by parents and teachers.

Preventative Measures

We take the following preventative measures:

• We use appropriate Assemblies to explain the school policy on bullying.  Our PSHE programme is structured to give pupils an awareness of their social and moral responsibilities as they progress through the school.  The programme is structured to enforce the message about community involvement and taking care of each other
• We discuss the anti bullying policy, as set out in the pupil planners, at the start of every academic year, as part of the tutorial programme and at other times during the year during PSHE sessions
• Other lessons, particularly RS, English and Drama highlight the issue of bullying and reinforce this message by teaching moral and spiritual values that show bullying to be unacceptable and by developing social skills
• We provide leadership training to our eights leaders which specifically covers the importance of offering support and assistance to younger and to vulnerable pupils
• All our pupils are encouraged to tell a member of staff at once if they know that bullying is taking place
• Staff are always on duty at times when pupils are not in class and patrol the school site, particularly areas where bullying might occur, such as the changing rooms. Pupils are supervised when changing before and after games sessions and activities.  Staff  are alert to inappropriate language or behaviour.

Our response

• All reported incidents are recorded and investigated at once.  We always monitor reported incidents and the Deputy Head (Pastoral) notices if there is a pattern or common element to any pupil incidents or upsets.
• We have a strong and experienced pastoral team of Tutors, Pastoral leaders, and House Parents who support the Pastoral Deputy Head and are trained in handling any incidents as an immediate priority, and are alert to possible signs of bullying. Many members of our teaching staff have received training in bullying prevention and response.
• Our pastoral team gives support and guidance to other staff on handling and reporting incidents, and on the follow-up work with both victims and bullies.
• On occasion, a member of our pastoral team may refer a pupil to a specialist counsellor.

Procedures where bullying has been reported:

If an incident of bullying is reported, the following procedures are adopted:

• The member of staff to whom it was reported or who first discovers the situation, will control the situation, reassure and support the pupils involved.
• He/she will inform an appropriate member of the pastoral team as soon as possible.
• The member of staff will calmly explain the range of disciplinary measures that are potentially involved.
• The victim will be interviewed on his/her own and asked to write an account of events.
• The bully, together with all others who were involved, will be interviewed individually and asked to write an immediate account of events.
• The incident should be recorded.
• All tutors and houseparents should be informed.  In very serious incidents, the Head Master should be informed.
• The victim will be interviewed at a later stage by a member of the pastoral team, separately from the alleged perpetrator. It will be made clear to him/her why revenge is inappropriate. He/she will be offered support to develop a strategy to help him or herself.
• The alleged bully will be interviewed at a later stage by a member of the pastoral team, separately from the victim, and it will be made clear why his/her behaviour was inappropriate and caused distress.  He/she will be offered guidance on modifying his or her behaviour, together with any appropriate disciplinary sanctions.
• The parents/guardians of all parties should be informed and invited into school to discuss the matter. Their support should be sought.
• A way forward, including disciplinary sanctions and counselling, should be agreed. 
  This should recognise that suitable support is needed both for children who are being bullied and for pupils who bully others, as well as dealing with appropriate disciplinary measures.
• A meeting involving all the parties, with close staff supervision, could be helpful in developing a strategy for all concerned to close the episode.
• A monitoring and review strategy will be put in place.
• In very serious cases and only after the Headmaster has been involved, it may be necessary to make a report to the Police or to the Social Services.  However, it is the policy of Chafyn Grove School to attempt to resolve such issues internally under the school's own disciplinary procedures, unless the matter is of such gravity that a criminal prosecution is likely.
  
  

Boarding

• In the Boarding House, there are strong teams of tutors supporting the Houseparents and the Matrons, who act in loco parentis.  The informal house environment is important in reinforcing a pupil's standards and values, providing the opportunity for friendly, informal discussion of matters of concern to the individual pupil outside the formal classroom.  We encourage close contact between the Houseparents and parents/guardians, and would always make contact if we were worried about a pupil's well-being.
• Our Matrons' Department and boarding house display advice on where pupils can seek help, including details of confidential help lines and web sites connecting to external specialists, such as Childline, Kidscape, Get Connected, Samaritans.
• All pupils have access to a telephone helpline, enabling them to call for support in private.
• We encourage older pupils to offer support to the younger boarders.  Specifically we have a Y8 Head of House, who is voted for by the children and may be the first port of call.
• We have never allowed any initiation ceremonies designed to cause pain anxiety or humiliation.
• We reserve the right to investigate incidents that take place outside school hours, on school visits and trips and that occur in the vicinity of the school, involving our pupils
• We welcome feedback from parents and guardians on the effectiveness of our preventative measures.

 

Our Behaviour and Discipline Policy outlines what is expected in terms of pupil behaviour. Bullying is unacceptable and would be likely to enter a child at level 4 of the disciplinary scale. Bullying will not go unpunished and could lead to exclusion if the matter was serious or persistent.

Cyber bullying: A definition

Mr Bill Belsey, the creator of the web site: http://www.cyberbullying.org/ defined this unpleasant phenomenon in the following terms:

 "Cyberbullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group that is intended to harm others."

Cyberbullying can involve Social Networking Sites, like Facebook, Bebo and Myspace, emails and mobile phones, used for SMS messages and as cameras.

Cyber bullying Preventative measures

In addition to the preventative measures described above, Chafyn Grove:

• Expects all pupils to adhere to its charter for the safe use of the internet.  Certain sites are blocked by our filtering system and our IT Department monitors pupils' use. 
• May impose sanctions for the misuse, or attempted misuse of the internet.
• Issues all pupils with their own personal school email address.  Access to webmail such as "hotmail" is not allowed.
• Adheres to the BECTA guidelines regarding E-teaching and the internet.
• Offers guidance on the safe use of social networking sites and cyberbullying in PSHE lessons, which covers "privacy settings" and blocking and removing contacts from "buddy lists."
• Offers guidance on keeping names, addresses, passwords, mobile phone numbers and other personal details safe.
• Mobile phones are not permitted in school except for Year 8 in the Summer Term for an hour after supper and can only be used outside, or in public places. They are NOT permitted to connect to the internet whilst using their phones.
• The use of cameras on mobile phones is not allowed in washing and changing areas, or in the dorms.

Sanctions

As a school we reserve the right to confiscate any phone which is being used inappropriately or at times when they are not permitted.

Response to any breach of e safety

In accordance with advice from government agencies, we would follow the attached procedure in a response to finding inappropriate images on a mobile phone. (see flow chart.)

Procedures

Guidelines for action should bullying occur.  These guidelines are discussed in tutorials at least annually.

Pupils

Chafyn Grove provides a number of people with whom a pupil can share a problem. Each main school classroom displays a chart listing all those who are ready to listen and who are familiar to the pupils. The list also contains names of outside agencies to which pupils might go if they prefer. Pupils should be encouraged to:

• Talk to any adult they wish.
• Talk to one of the Eights Leaders who will ensure that the right help is sought.
• Be confident that action will be taken to stop the bullying.
• Be confident in their own self-worth and value to the community.
• Be a good friend, above all when it is known that someone is unhappy or lonely and remember to include everyone in class and in the boarding house, especially where sharing activities or group work are concerned.

Pupils are encouraged to follow these guidelines.

If you are being bullied the following responses should help;

• Explain to the bully that her words/actions are upsetting; they may not be aware of this.  However, if the bullying continues try not to show your feelings.
• Walk away quickly and confidently, even if you don't feel that way inside.
• If you are different in any way, be proud of it - it's good to be an individual.
• The bully will not stop if they think they can get away with such behaviour.  Discuss the problem with your friends and if you think it is serious tell a member of staff or ask your friends to tell a member of staff on your behalf.

You can help to stop bullying

• If the pupil being bullied is in any danger, fetch help.  If they aren't, remain with them; your presence may ease the situation.
• Show that you and your friends disapprove.
• Give sympathy and support to other pupils who may be bullied.  You would like them to do the same for you.
• Be careful about teasing or making personal remarks.  If you think they might not find your comments funny don't say them.
• If you know of serious bullying tell someone.  The victim may be too scared or lonely to tell.
  

Parental involvement

Problem solving approaches to bullying that are school based alone may not always work without the support of the parents. The involvement of parents has been found to be effective in deterring persistent bullying. Parents need to show their children ways of dealing with difficult situations without using violence or aggression. Chafyn Grove believes that making parents aware that their child has been involved in bullying demonstrates the fact that the school takes seriously this matter and seeks to change such patterns of behaviour.

If your child is being bullied

Parents along with peers will probably be the first to hear of a bullying incident. They should not dismiss it. Parents should contact their child's Housemaster, Tutor, Deputy Headmaster or Headmaster if they are worried. It is essential to stay calm, supportive and find out the facts of the situation. Reassurance will be needed in order to persuade your child that they have done the right thing by telling you. You may find it helpful to have the following checklist at your side to ensure that correct information is passed to school.

• Who was involved?
• Where did it take place?
• How often?
• Why did it take place?
• What form did the bullying take?

When you inform the school of these details you will want to ask what you can do to support the school in the action taken to support your child. You will also want to make a note of the suggested strategy the school intends to take. Stay in touch with the school so that they can be kept informed of how things are improving and to establish further contact if necessary.

If your child is involved in bullying.

It is important to work with the school to modify the patterns of behaviour which are causing your child to bully. It is helpful to recognise some of the reasons why pupils behave in this way from time to time.

Children sometimes bully others because:

• They are not aware of how hurtful it is.
• They are copying the behaviour of older siblings or people they admire.
• They have a temporary difficulty integrating in their peer group.
• They are bullying others because of encouragement from friends.
• They are going through a difficult time personally and need help.
• They have not yet learnt satisfactory ways for making firm friendships.

To stop your child from bullying others.

• Talk with your child and help them to understand that what they are doing is unacceptable as it makes other pupils unhappy.
• Discourage other members of the family from using aggressive behaviour in order to get what they want.
• Suggest ways of joining in activities with other pupils without bullying.
•  Liaise with the school: Housemaster, Tutor, Deputy Headmaster or Headmaster.
• Make time to have regular chats about how things are going at school.
• Check that your child has identified an adult at school to whom they can go if they have a problem or a worry of any kind.

If your child is being bullied by a member of staff;

The child should confide in an adult at the school. There are posters displayed around the school giving suggestions of who a pupil can talk to. Any allegations or fears expressed will be taken seriously and investigated.

If you are not satisfied that the matter has been dealt with;

Families who feel that their worries and concerns have not been addressed appropriately might like to consider the following steps:

Make an appointment to discuss the matter with the Headmaster, keeping a record of the meeting.

If you do not feel that your complaint has been dealt with appropriately at this stage, you should follow the complaints procedure, laid out in our Complaints Policy.

Staff Guidance

• Tutorials and PSHE sessions should be used as a forum in which to discuss relationships, bullying and ways of handling difficult situations.

 

Resources

Advice for parents and families about bullying

 
"Support schools against bullying
Bullying and how to fight it".  A. Mellor (1993)
SCRE, 15 St John Street, Edinburgh  EH8 8JR (Available from good bookshops)

"Fighting, teasing and bullying:  simple and effective ways to help your child".
J Pearce (1989)  Thorsons, Wellingborough.  (Available from good bookshops)
 

Organisations that can help

 
Advisory Centre for Education
1b Aberdeen Studios
22/24 Highbury Grove, London  N5 2EA    Tel 0207 354 8321
Advice line for parents on all matters concerning schools.
 
 

 
 
 

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