WHY AN ANTI-BULLYING POLICY? An anti-bullying policy helps to create a positive and caring ethos where individuals are respected and feel secure in a way which enhances their social and academic development. FORMULATING A WHOLE SCHOOL POLICY When considering guidelines for policy development it would be useful to look at the OFSTED Inspection Framework: section 5 - Pupils' personal development and behaviour; section 7.3(ii) - Equality of opportunity; section 7.7 -Pupils' welfare and guidance; and section 7.8 - Links with parents, agencies and other institutions. Also look at the DfEE Circular 10/99 “ Social Inclusion: Pupils Support – Bullying, including Homophobic Bullying. It is important in the process of developing policy to involve school students. In formulating a policy on bullying the following questions need to be considered: ·How does the school ethos and environment encourage students and provide opportunities for them to talk openly and in confidence of their fears and experiences and those of their peers? ·Do students know that they will be listened to, taken seriously and action will be taken? Is there a structure that caters for staff in this way? ·What role do staff and students have to play in dealing with incidents of bullying outside the school boundaries? ·A bully may victimise on more than one occasion. In order to build up a true picture of the extent of bullying, what system does the school have for recording incidents? How is this system implemented and communicated effectively to all staff? ·What are the implications of the policy for staff, students, parents, and governors? Does it make explicit the roles of each of these groups in relation to responding to and preventing bullying behaviour? Having formulated a draft policy it needs to be circulated to all staff for consideration and amendment and revised accordingly. Once the policy is finalised the whole school community needs to be aware of its existence and its implementation. POLICY INTO ACTION In order to implement the policy successfully the following questions need to be addressed: ·Are there areas in the school where bullying frequently occurs? What measures can be taken to reduce the potential for bullying? ·There are many ways in which bullying can be dealt with. Resorting to bullying the bully is inappropriate and counter productive. What strategies would be appropriate to use to encourage bullies to change their behaviour while at the same time empathising with the victims? ·What opportunities are provided for the victim/survivor to change any inappropriate responses or actions? ·Is there an ordered structure of graded sanctions for incidents of bullying? Does the school operate a system of rewards that reinforce co-operative behaviour? ·What opportunities are provided in the school curriculum for positive reinforcement of anti-bullying behaviour? ·How does the policy relate to other whole school issues, e.g. Equal Opportunities, PSE, behaviour? ·How are new parents, students, staff made aware of this policy? ·It is important that the school periodically reviews the effectiveness of the policy and any strategies or systems developed. For an example of an ANTI-BULLYING POLICY and other non-copyright materials send for an anti- bullying pack (details on the MORE INFO page). Please include a self addressed and stamped envelope with a cheque for £10 payable to Netta Cartwright at: Netta Cartwright Associates 11, Brunswick Terrace, Stafford United Kingdom ST16 1BB