POLICY

include Policy > Anti-bullying

Purpose of the Procedure

To define include's stance in relation to bullying and provide a framework to ensure that all instances of bullying are treated with a fair and consistent approach.

Who Should Apply the Procedure and When

All staff when an incident occurs or is reported. Any incidents will be recorded and monitored by the appropriate member of staff and line managers kept informed.

Performance Standards

  • All staff and clients will have an understanding of what bullying is.
  • All staff and clients will know what the include policy is on bullying and should follow procedures when incidents are reported.
  • All allegations of bullying will be taken seriously and investigated and monitored.
  • include will provide training and awareness sessions for all staff and clients.

The Procedure

Definition

In line with the Behaviour Management Policy, include applies the principle of respect for oneself and others. include is committed to providing a safe climate free from bullying and harassment for all, and does not accept bullying under any circumstances.

include defines bullying as the use of persistent emotional, physical or verbal abuse directed against an individual or group by another individual or group, which intentionally or unintentionally causes upset, intimidation or hurt. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim.

Bullying can be:

  • Emotional Being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting, intimidating
  • Physical Pushing, kicking, hitting or any use of violence including
  • Racist Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
  • Sexual Unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments
  • Homophobic Because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality
  • Verbal Name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing
  • Cyberbullying Bullying via e-mail, text, or online

include is committed through PSHE curriculum, Personal Tutorials, and Policy and Procedures to ensure that all learners know what bullying is, feel able as witnesses or victims to report bullying, and have confidence that such reports will be taken seriously and investigated in line with procedures.

Cyberbullying will be treated in line with procedures. Learners and staff who are being bullied by e-mail, text or online should follow procedures below, keeping and saving any bullying e-mails, text messages or images, and noting times and dates of messages and details about the sender.

Staff must be aware of the way their own behaviour is received and ensure that they do not bully learners or other staff. Bullying by members of staff will be investigated in line with procedures and may be treated under disciplinary procedures.

Parents who have concerns about bullying will be listened to, and their concerns taken seriously and investigated in line with procedures.

Procedures for dealing with incidents of bullying

include will respond to complaints of bullying promptly and effectively and investigate and monitor individual incidents.

  1. All incidents of bullying and harassment to be reported to a member of staff.
  2. All incidents to be recorded and reported to line manager.
  3. All incidents to be investigated and monitored regularly.
  4. All parties involved will be encouraged to deal with the complaint in a manner which acknowledges problems and seeks an informal, conciliatory and prompt resolution whenever possible.
  5. Formal mechanisms will be used when informal resolution has been attempted.
  6. Disciplinary procedures will be followed when discussion and informal resolution has failed.
  7. Police will be informed where the seriousness of the complaint warrants possible criminal proceedings.
  8. Where formal proceedings are appropriate, the complainant will have recourse to the normal Grievance Procedure.

Permitted Variations

None

Monitoring

Incident Reports

Complaints

Associated Forms

P7 – Protecting the Rights of Learners

WP7.2 – The Welfare of Learners

P5 – Behaviour Management Policy

WP5.1 – Behavioural Management

P11 – Information Technology

Incident Report Form (see 5.1)

include APR/Student Files

Additional Information/Guidance

Childline – 0800 1111

DfES – www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying

DfES "Bullying: don’t suffer in silence

DfES Research Brief 400 "Tackling Bullying: listening to the views of children and young people"