COLLEGE POLICIES

ANTI BULLYING POLICY

General Guidelines

Fine Arts College aims to prevent bullying and to deal effectively with bullying if it does occur by:

1. Maintaining an environment of openness, trust, mutual respect and civility between staff and pupils and between peer groups to minimise any incidents of any bullying.
2. Maintaining a clear code of conduct for pupils through the student contracts signed each year.
3. Raising awareness of bullying and its effects through the curriculum and extra activities.
4. Developing effective strategies to recognise and support victims of bullying and for recognising and dealing with bullies;
5. Ensuring that staff are aware of college policy on bullying and treat all incidents of bullying seriously and with consistency;
6. Ensuring that parents and pupils are aware of college policy on bullying.

What is bullying?

Although bullying can take many forms it can usually be characterised by the following:

1. Persistent behaviour resulting in intimidation of individuals or groups through verbal, physical or emotional aggression.
2. A wilful and conscious desire to hurt, threaten, intimidate or frighten someone else.

Common forms of Bullying:

1. Short term
2. Long term – continuing over a number of years and sometimes beginning in a previous school.
3. Physical aggression or abuse
4. Verbal aggression or abuse
5. Psychological abuse – subtle intimidation through looks, whispering etc.
6. Written aggression or abuse including cyber bullying
7. Exclusion
8. Defacing property

Recognising victims

Likely victims of bullying are likely to be vulnerable in one form or another such as:

1. New students or those who arrive late in the year
2. Students who are visibly different from other students for example in appearance, background, speech etc.
3. Students with low self esteem and little confidence;
4. Students who are quiet or more sensitive than other students or those who are anxious or insecure.
5. Isolated students who do not socialise readily.
6. More academically able students
7. Active victims who have been aggressive or provocative in the past.

Victims may withdraw from college life and may be reluctant to come to college or socialise. They may spend free time away from classrooms or common student areas in the offices and staff areas.

Recognising Bullies

Bullies may be act aggressively and overtly or may be very subtle in their bullying.
Bullies may exhibit the following characteristics:

1. Aggressive to staff, peers and family members.
2. Extrovert with a tendency to dominate lessons and a desire to show off.
3. Anti-social behaviour with a positive attitude towards violence.
4. Uses inappropriate or abusive language.

Students who exhibit such behaviour may be trying to mask their own inadequacies or insecurity or alternatively may be overconfident and arrogant in their abilities.

What to do

Steps staff should take when an incident of bullying occurs:

1. Treat the incident seriously. Reassure parents and students that the incident will be investigated and action will be taken.
2. Inform the student’s personal tutor who will decide whether to take the matter further and whether to consult with the Principals.
3. Offer support and advice to the victim.
4. Demonstrate strong disapproval of the bully’s behaviour.
5. Decide on appropriate punishment or sanction for the bully.

The Principals will inform parents if necessary and will review the situation if appropriate.

All relevant staff should be informed so that the incident is not perpetuated with references to it during lessons and so that staff are more likely to recognise and deal with any further incidents.

Punishments and Sanctions

Small, local incidents can be dealt with by personal tutors or subject tutors but more serious incidents should always be referred to the Principals.

Sanctions may include:

1. Supervision during break times or lunch time.
2. Extra study time during free periods.
3. Forfeiture of outings or privileges.
4. Suspension
5. Permanent expulsion

Support

The Victim

1. Encourage them to talk openly, if necessary with a member of staff with whom they feel at ease.
2. Give them the opportunity to write about their feelings.
3. Supporting the college message that tutors should be told about any incident of bullying – that it is “OK to tell”.
4. Helping to develop confidence and assertiveness by acting out ways of coping with bullying and teasing and encouraging this to be continued at home and outside college.
5. Eliminating, with support of parents if necessary, any obvious causes of bullying such as visible differences.

The Bully

1. Allow the student to talk openly about the incident – remember there are two sides to every story.
2. Develop empathy and sympathy with the student for victims of bullying – help them to put themselves in the victim’s shoes.
3. Oversee a clear apology either verbal or written.
4. Set expectations about future behaviour.
5. Ensure that the student is aware of the consequences of their behaviour in terms of punishments and sanctions.
6. Reward good behaviour.
7. Include the parents if necessary to investigate any causes at home.

Raising Awareness

Student Awareness:

Students must be made aware that bullying is not tolerated and that bullies will be punished. Students should also know that there is a support network for victims and that an atmosphere of trust and respect is encouraged.

How to include bullying awareness in the curriculum:

1. Drama and role plays
2. Literature
3. Talks from external agencies
4. Personal tutorials – students should be encouraged to discuss friendship and bullying and be encouraged to talk to tutors.

Staff awareness:

1. Regular staff meetings during which any incidents can be discussed and appropriate action taken.
2. Reminders to be vigilant and sensitive to any possible bullying during lesson time and on extracurricular trips.
3. Advice taken by the Principal from professional bodies such as DCSF.

Parent Awareness:

1. Discussing the college anti bullying policy with parents during interview and enrolment of new students.
2. Ensuring that the college policy is available to parents upon request.
3. Communication and co-operation with parents of victims and bullies if an incident occurs.

This policy is reviewed annually and is available for inspection by staff or parents at any time on application to the Principal.