Anti-Bullying Policy
This policy takes into account the ISI advice on the Regulatory Requirements for Independent Schools and the DCSF Guidance on the prevention of bullying contained in‘Safe to Learn – embedding anti-bullying work in schools’

This policy forms part of the School’s SMSC framework and addresses the following outcomes of the Every Child Matters Agenda:
  1. Be Healthy
  2. Stay Safe
  3. Enjoy and Achieve
  4. Make a Positive Contribution
  5. Social and Economic Well-being
Definition of Bullying
The Mount School takes bullying seriously and is aware that bullying takes three principal forms: verbal, physical and manipulative.
  • Verbal – name calling, threats, insults or offensive remarks
  • Physical – hitting, kicking, deliberate pushing and jostling, taking of property
  • Manipulative – spreading rumours, sending malicious messages, cyber bullying (on social websites, email and messaging), ostracising

Bullying often focuses on anything perceived as being different from the majority. This can undermine our work in promoting equal opportunities and teaching moral principles. Bullying may seize upon aspects of body shape or appearance, class, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or nationality.
Bullying is often recognised as a prolonged ‘attack’ but it may also be a single unresolved event, which casts a shadow over a child’s life.
We recognise the potential seriousness of bullying in causing psychological damage and even suicidal tendencies.
Aims and Objectives

The Mount School aims:

  • To create an atmosphere where every girl can reach their full potential within a safe and caring environment and therefore bullying and other forms of anti-social behaviour are not tolerated
  • To make sure that Governors, members of staff, parents and pupils have an understanding of what bullying is and that we will do all that we can to prevent it in school
  • To ensure pupils know what the school’s policy is on bullying and are made aware of the code of conduct and behaviour policy, which outline how pupils are expected to behave towards all other members of the School community. These make clear the fact that harassment is not tolerated by anyone. In the case of severe or persistent bullying strong sanctions such as exclusion may be necessary
  • Through a range of school activities to address issues relating to bullying both how to deal with it when it occurs and how to prevent it. These include assemblies, visits from the community police, involvement in the national anti-bullying week, the tutorial programme and through the School’s PSHEE curriculum
  • As part of the ongoing Staff Training Programme and through the School’s pastoral structure, to raise awareness of bullying, both how to deal with it and how to prevent it
  • To ensure that parents are made aware of the School's anti-bullying policy and are assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported
Strategies for Dealing with Bullying

The Mount School recognises that relationships can break down and so procedures to deal with bullying need to be in place. The purpose of these procedures is to protect and support the victim, to rehabilitate the perpetrator and to re-establish a secure and happy environment.
Depending upon the perceived seriousness of the situation, issues of bullying will be dealt with by the form teacher, Head of Year or Assistant Head (Pastoral) in liaison with the Headteacher. They will inform any other member of staff as necessary and keep records of all bullying incidents on the pupil file.
The emphasis for all teachers should be upon listening, believing and helping all concerned.
All pupils and parents should know that we regard bullying as a serious offence and that all claims of bullying will be thoroughly investigated.
Procedures for Reporting and Recording Arrangements

A pupil who feels they are being bullied must tell a teacher or any other member of staff with whom they feel comfortable. If they do not feel confident enough to speak up by themselves, pupils should be encouraged to enlist the moral support of a friend. Above all, pupils should be encouraged to tell someone straight away.
Teachers should not ignore or disregard a complaint. When a case of alleged bullying is referred to them teachers should:
  • Ask for details and record the information on a record of concern sheet
  • Give the completed form to the Head of Year in the first instance

The Head of Juniors or Head of Year will then follow these procedures:

  1. As soon as possible interview or gather statements from all involved parties. Records will be kept of all interviews or statements
  2. Speak to the alleged victim to establish what exactly has occurred and whether there are any witnesses. These witnesses should then also be interviewed or write a statement. (It may not be possible to preserve confidentiality in these discussions as the person accused of bullying will need to be told exactly what they have done and the effect it has had)
  3. Interview the person being accused of bullying once the details of the complaint have been established. Again this should be recorded
  4. Inform the parents of the victim and the child doing the bullying. Parents will be made fully aware of the School's anti-bullying policy. It will be stressed that if the bullying continues sanctions will be used
  5. Make all members of staff involved with the pupils aware of any incidences of bullying and any strategies such as report cards and not sitting by or working with certain pupils
  6. Staff will monitor future behaviour, including arranging a follow-up meeting with the pupils a week later to check how things are going. A record of this should also be kept
Record keeping
  • In the Juniors, Form teachers write all incidents of bullying in a notebook which then leads to a sanctions book, which is the point at which parents become involved
  • In the Seniors, Heads of Year record all incidents of bullying, they email the Headteacher and put a note on the girl’s file
Anti Bullying Procedures to Follow
  • The school’s ethos will be promoted at all times; good and positive behaviour will be rewarded and encouraged
  • Strategies for helping individual girls will be known to the Head of Year
  • Risk times such as before and after school, breaks and lunchtimes will be noted with special care by the staff on supervision duties
  • Staff, where possible, will build into their teaching an awareness of the needs of others and a positive discouragement of bullying and an understanding of its consequences
Involvement of Parents

Parents will be made fully aware of the School's anti-bullying policy. In some cases, parents may be the first to alert a teacher to an incident of alleged bullying and they may be in some distress when they contact the School.

Good practice includes:

  • Recognising that the parent may be angry or upset
  • Keeping an open mind - lack of staff awareness does not mean it is not happening
  • Remaining calm and understanding
  •

Making clear that the School does care and that something will be done, explaining the school policy and seeing that procedures are followed
  • Recognise that there is not necessarily a clear victim and bully in all situations
Sanctions

Sanctions for the bully may include:

  • Targets for behaviour from the Form teacher, Head of Year or Assistant Head
  • Reporting to the Head of Year on a daily or weekly basis
  • Loss of break times or internal seclusion at break and  lunch times
  • The School will exclude a girl who is found to deliberately or persistently endanger the safety or happiness of other pupils or staff, according to the Exclusions Policy

As behaviour of the bully improves then sanctions should be removed and the child should be praised for their good behaviour. It is important to remember that their self-esteem may also have been damaged by being found bullying, or low self-esteem may have been the root cause.
 
» BACK TO TOP