Co-op Academy Walkden

Anti-Bullying Policy

Date created - January 2023

Date reviewed - January 2023

Next review date - January 2024

Contents

Introduction        

Context        

Definitions of bullying        

Signs and symptoms of bullying

Reporting bullying

Responding to bullying

Further sources of information                 

Introduction

Co-op Academy Walkden is committed to nurturing a culture whereby all students are able to thrive and be the best version of themselves. The academy strives to establish an environment of happiness and safety, where incidents of bullying or discriminatory behaviour is challenged and addressed through pathways of re-education. Such a culture is further promoted through the Co-op Ways of Being:

• Do what matters most
• Be yourself always
• Show you care
• Succeed together.

Our academy strives for a culture whereby all students are treated with courtesy, respect and equality regardless of age, gender, sex, race, religious beliefs, disability, prior attainment, athletic ability or popularity. Our ethos and culture cultivates personal growth and prepares students for a life in modern Britain.

This policy primarily aims to ensure that members of our community have a clear and robust knowledge of their roles and responsibilities when faced with an incident of bullying. We also acknowledge that bullying is not confined to school and this policy aims to make students aware of the actions that they can take, should they experience bullying, as either a victim or bystander, in their adult lives.

Context

This policy draws on the Department for Education’s guidance on dealing with bullying:

• Prevention and Tackling Bullying - October 2014
• School Support for Children and Young People Who Are Bullied - March 2014
• Cyberbullying: Advice for Headteachers and school staff - November 2014

This policy relates to the following legislation:

• Education Act, 2011 (this act reviews the powers available to the headteacher discipline pupils)
• Equality Act, 2010 (this act legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society)
• Education and Inspections Act, 2006 (this act aims to ensure that all children in all schools get the education they need to enable them to fulfil their potential)
• Human Rights Act, 1998 (this act requires that everyone be treated equally, with fairness, dignity and respect)

Definitions of Bullying

Bullying is the wilful, conscious desire to hurt, threaten, frighten or make someone feel uncomfortable over a period of time, where it is difficult for the person being bullied to defend themselves. It is distinct from random unkind or aggressive acts.

Co-op Academy Walkden recognises that bullying takes place in a variety of different forms, including:

Physical abuse:  acts of violence such as pushing, kicking, hitting, punching.

Verbal abuse: name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours and teasing – especially an older student to a younger one

Emotional abuse: threats, undermining a child, excluding, spreading rumours.  

Cyber bullying/online abuse: sending threats, upsetting or abusive messages, creating embarrassing or malicious images or videos, trolling, setting up hate sites or groups about a particular child, identity theft.

Sexual bullying: unwanted sexual behaviours of a physical nature such as touching, cat calling, body shaming, coercion, child on child abuse.  

Discrimination: taunts, graffiti and unwanted gestures aiming to marginalise people based on their race, sex, gender, sexuality, age, disability or religious beliefs.

All people deserve the right to be treated with respect and dignity. Students who engage in behaviours that could be characterised as bullying need to be provided with the education and skills to address it.

Signs and symptoms of bullying

A victim may indicate through their behaviour that they are being bullied.

Signs may include:

• A reluctance to attend school
• Anxiety towards travelling on the school bus/public transport.  
• Withdrawal from lessons
• Bruises/swelling
• Frequently seeking out members of staff
• Unkempt uniform
• Frequently ‘losing’ items
• Withdrawal from accessing the internet
• Academic underperformance
• Anxiety when receiving communications from the academy

Symptoms may include:

• Loss of appetite, weight loss
• Headaches
• Signs of depression
• Stomach aches
• Stammering
• A lack of motivation or confidence
• Sudden changes in behaviour
• Becoming withdrawn
• A struggle to maintain concentration

Reporting bullying  

It is the responsibility of both staff and students to report incidents of bullying or discriminatory behaviour. The process of reporting bullying aims to equip the victim with the empowerment to take ownership of the circumstances through an appropriate and supportive pathway.

All incidents of bullying or discriminatory behaviour should be reported, whether by the victim, friends of the victim, bystander, parent who should contact the school. Incidents should be reported and challenged by any member of staff who witnesses such negative behaviours as outlined within this policy.    

Responding to bullying  

As an academy we recognise that timely support and a proactive stance must be taken when challenging behaviours of bullying or a discriminatory nature.

Dealing with Bullying Incidents:

All incidents of bullying are addressed with sensitivity and respect for all parties involved with an emphasis of education rather than punitive sanctions. A system for staff to report incidents and record their involvement is in place, which is monitored by pastoral staff and senior leaders. Incidents will be approached in a firm, reasonable and calm way, focused around cultivating a climate for change.  

Prevention:

Co-op Academy Walkden takes a strategic approach to the prevention of incidents of bullying or discriminatory behaviour. Example of ways with which:

• The academy embodies an ethos of inclusivity, illustrated  through the four strands of ‘Ways of Being’
• The assembly rota has been constructed to explore pastoral themes, including the Equalities Act 2010, Anti-Bullying week and the promotion of Equality and Diversity Reps.
• School council provides stakeholder guidance on ways to further enhance the anti-bullying strategy.
• Resources are shared with students via assembly, and in Personal Development tutor time signposting students to staff who listen.  
• The Personal Development curriculum model is constructed to factor in sessions aiming to educate students on topical matters such as bullying, the Equalities Act 2010 and microaggressions.
• Relationship & Sex Education curriculum is designed to establish appropriate relationships, recognise toxic relationships and be alerted to imbalances in power.  
• Computer science curriculum model addressed multiple themes relating to bullying, such as online safety, cyberbullying, sexting and child on child abuse.
• There is a strong staff presence during social time.
• Vulnerable students are provided with safe spaces at lunch and break for example students with SEND are able to access the HIVE.  

The Academy:

All staff working within the academy have been given guidance on how to report incidents of bullying.

• Staff hold clear narratives with pupils, ensuring that they feel safe, are listened to and that the member of staff will act upon the information that has been presented to them.
• The member of staff will capture the narrative and record it via the reporting incidents of bullying and discrimination tile.
• The Head of Year will examine the incident, carry a supportive investigation, exploring the severity of the exchanges and will, where necessary, impose punitive methods where appropriate.  
• Parents will be informed of the circumstances that have presented in school.
• A chronology of events capturing school actions is recorded on the culture, equality and inclusivity drive.
• Senior leaders analyse data to recognise trends in order to explore pathways for specialist intervention.

Students:

The academy offers a proactive, supportive and nurturing response to students who are the victims of bullying. The response is determined by the student’s individual needs and all incidents are treated discreetly. Examples may include: 

• Immediate intervention to stop the incident and ensure the student’s safety
• Reassurance that the victim's action to report the incident is being dealt with seriously and that as the victim they are not to blame.
• A clear strategy to prevent further incidents from occurring.
• Restoring self-esteem and confidence
• The opportunity to pursue a leadership pathway as an Equality and Diversity Rep.
• Extra supervision/monitoring
• Liaising with parents/carers communicating
• Pastoral mediation between the perpetrator and the victim where appropriate. (provided this does not increase the victim’s vulnerability)

All incidents of bullying are addressed in a fair and proportionate way, with incidents of a more serious nature being challenged through robust sanctions.

Such examples of sanctions are as detailed below:

• Immediate action to stop an incident of bullying in progress
• Engagement with the bully to reinforce the message that their behaviour is unacceptable.
• Loss of lunch/break privileges
• Official warnings to cease offending
• Detentions
• Detention followed by restorative conversation. This act of mediation between the perpetrator and the victim will be assessed in advance to ensure that this would not increase the victims vulnerability
• Internal exclusion, via the RESET provision.
• Removal from class/group
• Withholding participation in sports or after school activities (if not an essential part of the school curriculum)
• Parents/carers informed
• Meeting with a member of SLT
• An exclusion after consultation with the Principal
• Involvement of external bodies such as the police
• Meeting with a member of the governing body
• Permanent exclusion after consultation with the Principal

Further Sources of Information:

Staff Information  

Schools’ duty to promote good behaviour: Section 89 Education and Inspections Act 2006 and Education Regulations 2010 Power to tackle poor behaviour outside school. 

The Equality Act 2010 - Specialist organisations  

Effectiveness of Anti-Bullying Strategies – DFE RP098

The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA): Founded in 2002 by NSPCC and National Children's Bureau, the AntiBullying Alliance ABA) brings together over 100 organisations into one network to develop and share good practice across the whole range of bullying issues. The ABA also offers a range of resources and supporting information for young people. This information can be found here: https://www.antibullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information 

Kidscape: Charity established to prevent bullying and promote child protection providing advice for young people, professionals and parents about different types of bullying and how to tackle it. They also offer specialist training and support for school staff, and assertiveness training for young people.  

The Diana Award: Anti-Bullying Ambassadors programme to empower young people to take responsibility for changing the attitudes and behaviour of their peers towards bullying. It will achieve this by identifying, training and supporting school anti-bullying ambassadors.  

The BIG Award: The Bullying Intervention Group (BIG) offer a national scheme and award for schools to tackle bullying effectively.  

Restorative Justice Council: Includes best practice guidance for practitioners 2011.  

Cyberbullying Child Net International: Specialist resources for young people to raise awareness of online safety and how to protect themselves.    

Think U Know: resources provided by Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) for children and young people, parents, carers and teachers.    

Digizen: provides online safety information for educators, parents, carers and young people.  Advice on Child Internet Safety 1.0: The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) has produced universal guidelines for providers on keeping children safe online.  LGBT  EACH: (Educational Action Challenging Homophobia):

provides a national freephone Actionline for targets of homophobic or transphobic bullying and training to schools on sexual orientation, gender identity matters and cyber homophobia.  

Schools Out: Offers practical advice, resources (including lesson plans) and training to schools on LGBT equality in education.    

PROUD Trust: advice on LGBTQ+  issues and support programmes for schools in Greater Manchester.

Stonewall: An LGB equality organisation with considerable expertise in LGB bullying in schools, a dedicated youth site, resources for schools, and specialist training for teachers.  SEND Mencap: Represents people with learning disabilities, with specific advice and information for people who work with children and young people.    

Changing Faces: Provide online resources and training to schools on bullying because of physical difference. Cyberbullying and children and young people with SEN and disabilities: Advice provided by the Anti-Bullying Alliance on developing effective anti-bullying practice.  

Anti-bullying Alliance SEND programme of resources: Advice provided by the Anti-bullying Alliance for school staff and parents on issues related to SEND and bullying. 

Racism Show Racism the Red Card: Provide resources and workshops for schools to educate young people, often using the high profile of football, about racism.  

Kick it Out: Uses the appeal of football to educate young people about racism and provide education packs for schools.  

Anne Frank Trust: Runs a school’s project to teach young people about Anne Frank and the Holocaust, the consequences of unchecked prejudice and discrimination, and cultural diversity.