Anti-bullying
What is bullying?
Learning to understand and manage conflict is an important part of growing up. Bullying is not simply a ‘falling out’. Research shows that experiencing bullying can have a significant impact on a child’s life well into adulthood. To ensure we are able to prevent bullying, act quickly when it takes place and avoid misidentifying bullying, it is vital that schools and other settings have a shared definition of bullying. This should be understood by the whole school or setting including parents, young people and all staff. (Credit: anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)
What to do if you are being bullied
Ensuring all students are free to come to school without fear of threat and intimidation is essential to the safeguarding of all students at Poole Grammar School. By having a rigorous and consistently applied Anti-Bullying policy, we will be supporting and promoting the safeguarding of all students in our school.
‘Unkind’ behaviour or exhibitions of bullying behaviour must be reported to a member of staff by any member of our school community or parent/carer. This can be done by speaking to any school adult or through the use of confidential mechanisms such as the Whisper Anonymous Reporting Form and the Anti-Bullying email to facilitate this. Such behaviour should be recorded and brought to the attention of the relevant pastoral team who will work with the school’s Anti-Bullying Champion to decide on an appropriate course of action in accordance with the Anti-Bullying Stages of Response Flow Chart (see attached flow chart – Appendix A).
Where sanctions are necessary because of ‘unkind’ behaviour or bullying behaviour, the school behaviour policy will be followed, using the incident levels as a guide to decide on an appropriate sanction. The school is committed to providing pastoral support for both victims and perpetrators of unkind and bullying behaviours.
Useful resources for parents:
- Internetmatters.org – Introduction to Cyberbullying parent guide
- Internetmatters.org – Introduction to Healthy Behaviours Online
- The Diana Award – Anti-bullying initiative