St Mary’s National School, Ballyconnell

1. In accordance with the requirements of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and the Code of Behaviour Guidelines issued by the NEWB, the Board of Management of St Mary’s National School has adopted the following Anti-Bullying Policy within the requirements of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools which were published in September 2013.

2. The Board of Management recognises the very serious nature of bullying and the negative impact it can have on the lives of pupils and is therefore fully committed to the following key principles of best practice in preventing and tackling bullying behaviour:

   1. A positive school culture and climate which:

      • Is welcoming of difference and diversity and is based on inclusivity.

      • Encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour in a non-

        threatening environment.

      • Promotes respectful relationships across the school community.

   2. Effective leadership;

   3. A school-wide approach;

   4. A shared understanding of what bullying is and its impact;

   5. Implementation of education and prevention strategies (including awareness-raising

      measures) that:

      • Build empathy, respect, and resilience in pupils; and

      • Explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identify based bullying including in

        particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying.

   6. Effective supervision and monitoring of pupils;

   7. Supports for staff;

   8. Consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour (including use of established intervention strategies); and

   9. On-going evaluation of effectiveness of the Anti-Bullying Policy.

3. In accordance with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools, bullying is defined as follows:

   Bullying is unwanted negative behaviour - verbal, psychological, or physical, conducted by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time.

   The following types of behaviour are included in the definition of bullying:

• Deliberate exclusion, malicious gossip, and other forms of relational bullying
• Cyber-bullying, and identity-based bullying such as homophobic bullying, racist bullying
• Bullying based on a person’s membership of the Traveller community, and bullying of those with disabilities or special educational needs.

Isolated or once-off incidents of intentional negative behaviour, including a once-off offensive or hurtful text message, or other private messaging, do not fall within the definition of bullying and should be dealt with, as appropriate, in accordance with the school’s Code of Behaviour.

Negative behaviour that does not meet this definition of bullying will be dealt with in accordance with the school’s Code of Behaviour.

Additional information on different types of bullying is set out in Section 2 of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

4. The relevant teachers for investigating and dealing with bullying are all the members of the teaching staff. Any teacher may act as a relevant teacher if circumstances warrant it.

5. The education and prevention strategies (including strategies specifically aimed at cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying including, in particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying) that will be used by the school are as follows:

   A programme of positive action promoting an atmosphere of friendship, respect, and tolerance, particularly during Friendship Week. Respect for all members of the school community is fostered.

   Whole staff professional development on bullying is organised to ensure that all teachers develop an awareness of what bullying is, how it impacts on pupils’ lives and the need to respond to it (prevention and intervention).

   Awareness-raising and training, including sessions for pupils, parents, and the wider school community is organised from time to time.

   The SPHE curriculum, including Walk Tall and Stay Safe Programme and RSE is used throughout the school to support the Anti-Bullying Policy.

   The school’s Anti-Bullying Policy is discussed regularly with the pupils. A whole-school awareness assembly is presented to the students at the beginning of each year, with termly reminders during assembly presentations.

   Pupils are helped to develop empathy by discussing feelings and by trying to put themselves in the place of others, for example during Circle Time activities and drama.

   Positive self-esteem is fostered among the pupils by celebrating individual differences and achievements, by acknowledging and rewarding good behaviour, and by providing opportunities for success.

   Internet safety is encouraged throughout the school supported by the school AUP Policy and the Web Wise Programme published by the NCTE.

   All parents receive a copy of the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy and Code of Behaviour upon enrolment and copies are made available upon request. The school website displays both.

   The playground, classrooms and corridors are supervised at break time and when children are going to and from the yard and going home. Non-teaching and ancillary staff are encouraged to be vigilant and to report issues to relevant teachers.

   Particular consideration is given to the additional needs of SEN pupils with regard to the development of skills and strategies to enable all pupils to respond appropriately.

   A culture of “telling” is promoted, with particular emphasis on the importance of bystanders. In that way, pupils will gain confidence in “telling”. This confidence factor is of vital importance. It is made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying, they are not considered to be telling tales, but acting responsibly.

   Teachers respond sensitively to pupils who disclose incidents of bullying.

   The staff is particularly vigilant in monitoring pupils who are considered at risk of bullying or being bullied

6. The school’s procedures for investigation, follow-up, and recording of bullying behaviour and the established intervention strategies used by the school for dealing with cases of bullying behaviour are as follows:

Investigation

• Upon report or witnessing bullying behaviour, the relevant class teacher initially will investigate the behaviour/complaint.

• Parents who have a concern regarding bullying behaviour will be referred directly to the class teacher as per complaints procedure.

• Non-teaching staff are encouraged to report any incidents of bullying to the relevant class teacher.

• In the case of a complaint regarding a staff member, this should first be raised with the staff member in question and if necessary, the principal.

• The relevant teacher must keep appropriate written records which will assist his/her efforts to resolve the issues and restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved.

• In investigation and dealing with bullying, the teacher will exercise his/her professional judgment to determine whether bullying has occurred and how best the situation might be resolved.

• Teachers will take a calm, unemotional, problem-solving approach. All incidents will be investigated outside the classroom situation to avoid the public humiliation of the victim or the pupil engaged in bullying behaviour. In any incident of bullying, two staff members will speak to each pupil involved separately, in a room away from the view of other children in an attempt to get both sides of the story. All interviews will be conducted with sensitivity and with due regard to the rights of all pupils concerned.

• When analysing incidents of bullying behaviour, the teacher will seek answers to questions of what, where, when, who, and why, in a calm manner, setting an example in dealing effectively with a conflict in a non-aggressive manner.

• Children may also be asked to write down their account of the incident.

• If a group is involved, each member of the group will be interviewed individually at first. Thereafter, they should be met as a group and each member will be asked for his or her account so that everyone in the group is clear about each other’s statements.

• Each member of the group should be supported through the possible pressures that may face them from the other members of the group after the interview with the teacher.

• In cases where it has been determined that bullying behaviour has occurred, the parents/guardians of the parties involved will be contacted at an early stage to inform them of the matter. They will be given an opportunity to discuss ways in which they can reinforce or support the actions being taken by the school and the supports provided to the pupils.

• Where it has been determined that a pupil has been engaged in bullying behaviour, it will be made clear to him/her that he/she is in breach of the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy. Efforts will be made to get him/her to see the situation from the point of view of the pupil being bullied.

• It will be made very clear to all involved that in any situation where disciplinary sanctions are required, that this is a private matter between the pupil being disciplined, his or her parents/guardians, and the school.

• The staff will closely monitor the children who are at risk of being bullied or bullying.

• Parents and pupils are required to cooperate with any investigation and assist the school in involving and restoring as far as practicable the relationships of the parties involved as quickly as possible.

• Serious cases of bullying will be referred immediately to the Principal, or in her absence, to the Deputy Principal.

Follow Up

In determining whether a bullying case has been adequately and appropriately addressed, the relevant teacher must take the following factors into account:

•  Has the bullying behaviour ceased?
• Have the issues between the parties been resolved as far as is practicable?
•  Have the relationships between the parties been restored as far as is practicable?                                                                                         
• Has any feedback been received from the parties involved, parents/guardians, or the Principal.

Follow-up meetings with the parties involved will be arranged when the pupil who has been bullied is ready and agreeable.

Where a parent/guardian is not satisfied that the school has dealt with a bullying case in accordance with these procedures, the parent/guardian must be referred to the school’s complaint procedures.

In the event that a parent/guardian has exhausted the school’s complaints procedures and is still not satisfied, the school will advise the parent/guardian of the right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.

Recording of Bullying Behaviour

All procedures of bullying, no matter how trivial, will be noted, investigated, and dealt with by teachers. In that way, pupils gain confidence in reporting. This confidence factor is of vital importance.

Incidents witnessed or reported to teachers will be recorded on the Incident Report Sheet (Appendix 2) along with the actions taken.

The relevant teacher must record the bullying behaviour in the Standardised Recording Template (Appendix 3) in cases where he/she considers that the bullying behaviour has not been adequately and appropriately addressed within 20 school days after he/she has determined that the bullying behaviour occurred, or in serious cases of bullying. A copy must be provided to the Principal or Deputy Principal.

The Principal will provide a regular report to the Board of Management setting out the following:

• The overall number of bullying cases reported by means of the Bullying Recording Template to the Principal or Deputy Principal since the previous board meeting.
• Confirmation that all these cases have been, or are being dealt with, in accordance with the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy.

The school’s programme of support for working with pupils affected by bullying is as follows (the following suggestions will be implemented at an age-appropriate level):

• Buddy system to support the pupil(s) involved in developing friendships
• Classroom lessons dealing with raising self-esteem, for example, Circle Time
• Providing a block of time with the learning support teacher for social and emotional development with parental permission
• Revise school rules with all children at Assembly
• Encourage friendships and positive relationships through Friendship Week
• Host an information evening for parents and children on cyber safety and cyber-bullying
• Seek advice and support from outside agencies such as NEPS and CAMHS
• Refer to Behaviour Support Guidelines published by NEPS
• Encourage participation in outside clubs and sports etc. to build confidence and friendship

Supervision and Monitoring of Pupils

The Board of Management confirms that appropriate supervision and monitoring policies and practices are in place to both prevent and deal with bullying behaviour and to facilitate early intervention where possible.

Prevention of Harrassment

The Board of Management confirms that the school will, in accordance with its obligations under equality legislation, take all such steps that are reasonably practicable to prevent the sexual harassment of pupils or staff or the harassment of pupils or staff on any of the nine grounds specified i.e. gender - including transgender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race, and membership of the Traveller community.

This policy was adopted by the Board of Management on April 2 , 2014.

This policy has been made available to school personnel, published on the school website, and provided to the Parents Association. A copy of this policy will be made available to the Department and the patron if requested.

This policy and its implementation will be reviewed by the Board of Management once in every school year. Written notification that the review has been completed will be made available to school personnel, published on the school website and provided to the Parents Association.

 

Appendix 1 – Examples of Bullying Behaviour

Identity-Based Behaviours

Race, Nationality, Ethnic Background, and Membership of the Travelling Community

Sexual

Any of the nine discriminatory grounds mentioned in the equality legislation: discrimination, prejudice, comments or insults about colour, nationality, culture, social class, religious belief, ethnic, or traveller background. Exclusion based on any of these.

Unwelcome or inappropriate comments or touching

Harassment

How to Tell

Pupils needs to know how to tell. These are some of the possible approaches to telling.

Direct approach to the teacher at an appropriate time, for example after class.

Hand a note up with homework.

Make a phone call to the school.

Put a note in the “Worry Box” or “Problem Box”.

Get a parent/guardian or friend to tell on your behalf.

Speak without naming individuals at Circle Time.

Speak out as a bystander.

Speak to the teacher on duty at break-time.

Knock on the Principal’s door and explain the situation.

 

 

Appendix 3 – Record of Bullying Behaviour

Details of Pupil Being Bullied

1. Name:

2. Class:

3. Name(s) and Class(es) of Pupil(s) Engaged in Bullying Behaviour: 

Name:                                     Class:

4. Source of Bullying Concern/Report (tick relevant boxes):

Pupil Concerned	Parent	Staff Member	Other Pupil

5. Location of Incidents (tick relevant box(es):

 

5. Name of person(s) who reported the bullying incident:

Our Annual Review of our Anti-Bullying Policy done in January 2022 for the 2021/2022 school year.

Our next Annual Review will take place in January 2023.