SCHOOL POLICY ON BULLYING

Bullying is repeated aggression, verbal, psychological or physical, conducted by an individual or group against others (Dept. of Education, 1993)
                                               
All adults must intervene in all possible bullying situations.
Failure to act gives a silent but powerful message that violent, aggressive, abusive behaviour is appropriate and acceptable.

Bullying can take place anywhere:
In the school buildings
In the classroom
On the school grounds
On the way to and from school
At activities outside school premises

SCHOOL CODE
Our school community acknowledges and respects the uniqueness, the equality and the right of each pupil. Our school community has the responsibility to make all our pupils feel safe, secure and happy, in class, on the corridor, at break times, in any school-based activity. Our pupils should, at all times, be free from fear, intimidation and any form of bullying.

We say that a pupil is being bullied when another pupil, or a group of pupils, says objectionable, unpleasant things to him. It is also bullying when, for example, a pupil is hit, threatened, teased repeatedly, or is deliberately ignored or isolated within the peer/class group.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
The following signs and symptoms may suggest that a pupil is being bullied.
1. Anxiety about going to, and from, school.
Unwillingness to go to school. Mitching.

2. Deterioration in school performance.
Loss of interest, no concentration.

3. A Pattern of minor physical illnesses.
Unexplained changes in mood/behaviour.
Sleeping or eating problems.

4. Reluctance, refusal to discuss the problem.
Damaged or missing possessions.
Increased requests for money.

5. Unexplained injuries (cuts, bruising, etc)

6. Becoming isolated in class.

7. Beginning to bully younger students.

THE BULLY
Bullies are not often easily recognized. Some tend to have assertive or aggressive attitudes over which they exercise little control, while others conceal their actions more successfully. They tend to lack empathy and cannot imagine what the victim feels.
They tend to lack guilt and they rationalize that somehow the victim deserves this treatment.

THE VICTIM
Bullies pick on the vulnerable.
Victims may be:
New to the school/class
Different in appearance, speech, background
Anxious/nervous
Suffering from low self-esteem
A source of entertaining reactions when bullied
Someone in the wrong place, at the wrong time, who reacts wrongly
Someone who is hard-working

Vulnerability is not always visible to adults, so we should be constantly vigilant.

MANAGING A BULLYING INCIDENT
Staff who discover the incident:
1. Write a full account of the incident.
2. Give the report to the Form Master; inform the Headmaster.
3. Make the situation safe by providing support to the victim.
4. Mentor follow-up with both victim and bully.

RESPONSE AND FOLLOW UP
The response should make clear to all concerned that
1. The school takes bullying seriously.
2. A record will be kept of the incident.
3. Conciliation between those involved should be effected.
4. The situation will be monitored and reviewed.

Victim and bully will be interviewed separately.
A written report from both should be procured.
Parents should be informed about the incident, stating that the school is taking action.