Anti-Bullying Policy
CBS Primary Anti-Bullying Policy 2014
o encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour in a non-threatening environment;
o promotes respectful relationships across the school community;
o models respectful behaviour
o displays our key message and motto “Be Kind”around the school
o “Catches them being good” acknowledging desired behaviours
o Employs systems of encouragement and rewards for desired behaviours e.g. Reward Cards, Class Dojos, Certificates of acknowledgement
o Acknowledges achievements at assemblies / public addresses / on communications
o Gives constructive feedback to pupils when respectful behaviour or language is absent
o Highlights school and classroom rules in positive manner in the classrooms
o Actively promotes the right of every member of the school community to be safe and secure in school
o Ensures there is adequate supervision on school grounds
o Supports the work of our Students Council
o supports a school culture and climate that celebrates difference e.g. “Intercultural Day” and diversity throughout the year (Chinese New Year)
o Please refer to the CBS Primary S.P.H.E. Policy regarding strategies for creating a positive school climate and atmosphere in particular sections
6.1 Building effective communication
6.2 Catering for individual needs
6.3 Creating a health-promoting physical environment
6.4 Developing democratic processes
6.5 Enhancing the self-esteem and well-being of members of the school community
6.6 Fostering respect for diversity
6.7 Fostering inclusive and respectful language
6.8 Developing appropriate communication between home and school
The manner in which parents and teachers interact will provide pupils with a model of good working relationships. HSCL will support in this area inviting parents to school and involving them in initiatives and activities.
c) Other social, health and media education programmes and formal agencies can further help to address bullying behaviour. (Programme on Cyber Bullying to be implemented)
o explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying.
o Opportunities provided to develop a positive sense of self-worth, through both the schools curricular and extra-curricular programmes. (SPHE programme, sport, quizzes etc.,)
o There is space within the teaching of all subjects to foster an attitude of respect for all; to promote value of diversity, to address prejudice and stereotyping and to highlight the unacceptability of bullying behaviour.(Stay Safe, Walk tall and RSE programmes in particular )
The following types of bullying behaviour are included in the definition of bullying:
However, in the context of this policy, placing a once-off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying 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 and on appendix to this policy.
When incidents of bullying occur in the classroom or school yard they will usually be dealt with by the class teacher or the teacher on yard duty. The teacher will exercise his/her professional judgement to determine whether bullying has occurred and how best the situation might be resolved.
Repeated and serious incidents will always be brought to the attention of the school Principal / Deputy Principal.
Our incident book will be used to record instances of behaviour which concern the teacher on yard duty. Through this patterns of behaviour can be identified. This records what different teachers on yard duty may see as “once -off”incidents but are in fact establishing a pattern of behaviour over time.
(i) In investigating and dealing with bullying, the teacher(s) will exercisetheir professional judgement to determine whether bullying has occurred, what type if it has and how best the situation might be resolved
(ii) All reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with by the relevant class teacher(s) teacher on yard duty. In that way, pupils will gain confidence in ‘telling’. This confidence factor is of vital importance. It should be made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying, they are not considered to be telling tales but are behaving responsibly
(iii) Non-teaching staff such as secretaries, special needs assistants (SNAs), bus escorts, caretakers, cleaners must be encouraged to report any incidents of bullying behaviour witnessed by them, or mentioned to them, to the school and in turn to the relevant class teacher
(iv) Parents and pupils are required to co-operate with any investigation and assist the school in resolving any issues and restoring, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved, as quickly as possible
(v) It is very important that all involved (including each set of pupils and parents) understand the above approach from the outset
(vi) Teachers should take a calm, unemotional problem-solving approach when dealing with incidents of alleged bullying behavior, reported by pupils, staff or parents
(vii) Incidents will generally be investigated outside the classroom situation to ensure the privacy of all involved
(ix) All interviews should be conducted with sensitivity and with due regard to the rights of all pupils concerned. Pupils who are not directly involved can also provide very useful information in this way
(x) When analysing incidents of bullying behaviour, the relevant class teacher(s) should seek answers to questions of what, where, when, who and why. This should be done in a calm manner, setting an example in dealing effectively with a conflict in a non-aggressive manner
(xi) If a group is involved, each member should be interviewed individually at first. Thereafter, all those involved should be met as a group. At the group meeting, each member should be asked for his/her account of what happened, to ensure that everyone in the group is clear about each other’s statements
(xii) Each member of a group should be supported through the possible pressures that may face them from the other members of the group after interview by the teacher
(xii) Where the relevant class teacher(s) has/have determined that a pupil has been engaged in bullying behaviour, it should be made clear to him how he is in breach of the school’s anti-bullying policy. Efforts should be made to try to get him to see the situation from the perspective of the pupil being bullied
(xiii) It may also be appropriate or helpful to ask those involved to write down their account of the incident(s)
(xiv) In cases where it has been determined by the relevant class teacher(s) that bullying behaviour has occurred, the parents of the parties involved should be contacted, at an early stage, to inform them of the matter and explain the actions being taken. The school should give parents an opportunity of discussing ways in which they can reinforce or support the actions being taken by the school and the supports for their pupils
(xvi) It must also be made clear, to all involved (each set of pupils and parents) that in any situation where disciplinary sanctions are required, this is a private matter between the pupil being disciplined, his parents and the school;
(xvii) Follow-up meetings with the relevant parties involved may be arranged separately with a view to possibly bringing them together, at a later date, if the pupil who has been bullied is ready and agreeable
(xviii) An additional follow-up meeting with parents of the children involved may take place after an appropriate time, to ensure that the matter has been resolved satisfactorily
(xix) In determining whether a bullying case has been adequately and appropriately addressed, the relevant class teacher must as part of his/her professional judgement ,take the following factors into account
(xxi) In the event that a parent has exhausted the school’s complaints procedures and is still not satisfied, the school will advise the parents of their right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.
RECORDING: Noting and reporting of bullying behaviour is to be documented using the template for recording bullying behaviour(Appendix 3). All records must be maintained in accordance with relevant data protection legislation. The school’s procedures for noting and reporting bullying behaviour will adhere to the following:
(i) While all reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with by the relevant class teacher(s), the relevant class teacher(s) will use his/her/their professional judgement in relation to the records to be kept of these reports, the actions taken and any discussions with those involved regarding same
(ii) If it is established by the relevant class teacher(s) that bullying has occurred, the relevant teacher(s) 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
(iii) The relevant teacher(s) must use the recording template at Appendix 3 to record the bullying behaviour (which is available on the Public Folder) in the following circumstances
a) 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 bullying behaviour occurred; and
b) where the school has decided as part of its anti-bullying policy that in certain circumstances bullying behaviour must be recorded and reported immediately to the Principal or Deputy Principal as applicable.
In each of the circumstances at (a) and (b) above, the recording template at Appendix 3 must be completed in full and retained by the teacher in question and a copy provided to the Principal or Deputy Principal as applicable. It should also be noted that the timeline for recording bullying behaviour in the recording template at Appendix 3 does not in any way preclude the relevant teacher from consulting the Principal or Deputy Principal at an earlier stage in relation to a case.
- 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 CBS Primary Mitchelstown has adopted the following anti-bullying policy, within the framework of the school’s overall Code of Behaviour. This policy fully complies with the requirements of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools, which were published in September 2013.
- The Board of Management recognises the very serious nature of bullying and the negative impact that 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:
- A positive school culture and climate which-
o encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour in a non-threatening environment;
o promotes respectful relationships across the school community;
o models respectful behaviour
o displays our key message and motto “Be Kind”around the school
o “Catches them being good” acknowledging desired behaviours
o Employs systems of encouragement and rewards for desired behaviours e.g. Reward Cards, Class Dojos, Certificates of acknowledgement
o Acknowledges achievements at assemblies / public addresses / on communications
o Gives constructive feedback to pupils when respectful behaviour or language is absent
o Highlights school and classroom rules in positive manner in the classrooms
o Actively promotes the right of every member of the school community to be safe and secure in school
o Ensures there is adequate supervision on school grounds
o Supports the work of our Students Council
o supports a school culture and climate that celebrates difference e.g. “Intercultural Day” and diversity throughout the year (Chinese New Year)
o Please refer to the CBS Primary S.P.H.E. Policy regarding strategies for creating a positive school climate and atmosphere in particular sections
6.1 Building effective communication
6.2 Catering for individual needs
6.3 Creating a health-promoting physical environment
6.4 Developing democratic processes
6.5 Enhancing the self-esteem and well-being of members of the school community
6.6 Fostering respect for diversity
6.7 Fostering inclusive and respectful language
6.8 Developing appropriate communication between home and school
- Effective leadership;
The manner in which parents and teachers interact will provide pupils with a model of good working relationships. HSCL will support in this area inviting parents to school and involving them in initiatives and activities.
- A school-wide approach;
- a)involving school management, staff, parents and pupils to deal with bullying incidents and to recognise that a school that openly discusses bullying is acting positively.(Booklet – Code of Behaviour – section on bullying)
c) Other social, health and media education programmes and formal agencies can further help to address bullying behaviour. (Programme on Cyber Bullying to be implemented)
- A shared understanding of what bullying is and its impact;
- Implementation of education and prevention strategies (including awareness raising measures) that-
o explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying.
o Opportunities provided to develop a positive sense of self-worth, through both the schools curricular and extra-curricular programmes. (SPHE programme, sport, quizzes etc.,)
o There is space within the teaching of all subjects to foster an attitude of respect for all; to promote value of diversity, to address prejudice and stereotyping and to highlight the unacceptability of bullying behaviour.(Stay Safe, Walk tall and RSE programmes in particular )
- Effective supervision and monitoring of pupils;
- Supports for staff; In year 13/14 Care-call addressed all at CPA; In-school mentoring, team work
- Consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour (including use of established intervention strategies); and
- On-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy.
- In accordance with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools bullying is defined as follows:
The following types of bullying 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.
However, in the context of this policy, placing a once-off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying 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 and on appendix to this policy.
- The relevant teacher(s) for investigating and dealing with bullying is (are) as follows:
When incidents of bullying occur in the classroom or school yard they will usually be dealt with by the class teacher or the teacher on yard duty. The teacher will exercise his/her professional judgement to determine whether bullying has occurred and how best the situation might be resolved.
Repeated and serious incidents will always be brought to the attention of the school Principal / Deputy Principal.
Our incident book will be used to record instances of behaviour which concern the teacher on yard duty. Through this patterns of behaviour can be identified. This records what different teachers on yard duty may see as “once -off”incidents but are in fact establishing a pattern of behaviour over time.
- 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:
- Prevention and awareness raising measures across all aspects of bullying and involves strategies to engage pupils in addressing problems when they arise. In particular, such strategies need to build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils
- Provide pupils with opportunities to develop a positive sense of self-worth
- Prevention and awareness raising measures focusing on cyber-bullying by educating pupils on appropriate online behaviour, how to stay safe while online
- Teachers can influence attitudes to bullying behaviour in a positive manner
- There are a number of curriculum components and programmes which are particularly relevant to the prevention of bullying and the promotion of respect for diversity and inclusiveness. The SPHE curriculum makes specific provision for exploring bullying as well as the inter-related areas of belonging and integrating, communication, conflict, friendship, personal safety and relationships. The Stay Safe & RSE programmes at primary level are personal safety skills programmes which seek to enhance children’s self-protection skills including their ability to recognise and cope with bullying. Various other social, health and media education programmes can further help to address the problem of bullying behaviour.
- The work could be extended into many other areas such as Art, Drama, Religious Education, and Physical Education. Co-operation and group enterprise can be promoted through team sports, school clubs and societies as well as through practical subjects
- At CBS Primary we promote wide-ranging opportunities for pupils to get involved in team sports – both within and outside of school hours. We also encourage involvement in local clubs and have built up excellent relations. Sporting activities in particular can provide excellent opportunities for channeling and learning how to control aggression. GAA and other coaching is offered to classes and teachers are also involved in coaching the school’s gaelic and athletic teams.
- 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 (see Section 6.8 of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools) :
(i) In investigating and dealing with bullying, the teacher(s) will exercisetheir professional judgement to determine whether bullying has occurred, what type if it has and how best the situation might be resolved
(ii) All reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with by the relevant class teacher(s) teacher on yard duty. In that way, pupils will gain confidence in ‘telling’. This confidence factor is of vital importance. It should be made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying, they are not considered to be telling tales but are behaving responsibly
(iii) Non-teaching staff such as secretaries, special needs assistants (SNAs), bus escorts, caretakers, cleaners must be encouraged to report any incidents of bullying behaviour witnessed by them, or mentioned to them, to the school and in turn to the relevant class teacher
(iv) Parents and pupils are required to co-operate with any investigation and assist the school in resolving any issues and restoring, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved, as quickly as possible
(v) It is very important that all involved (including each set of pupils and parents) understand the above approach from the outset
(vi) Teachers should take a calm, unemotional problem-solving approach when dealing with incidents of alleged bullying behavior, reported by pupils, staff or parents
(vii) Incidents will generally be investigated outside the classroom situation to ensure the privacy of all involved
(ix) All interviews should be conducted with sensitivity and with due regard to the rights of all pupils concerned. Pupils who are not directly involved can also provide very useful information in this way
(x) When analysing incidents of bullying behaviour, the relevant class teacher(s) should seek answers to questions of what, where, when, who and why. This should be done in a calm manner, setting an example in dealing effectively with a conflict in a non-aggressive manner
(xi) If a group is involved, each member should be interviewed individually at first. Thereafter, all those involved should be met as a group. At the group meeting, each member should be asked for his/her account of what happened, to ensure that everyone in the group is clear about each other’s statements
(xii) Each member of a group should be supported through the possible pressures that may face them from the other members of the group after interview by the teacher
(xii) Where the relevant class teacher(s) has/have determined that a pupil has been engaged in bullying behaviour, it should be made clear to him how he is in breach of the school’s anti-bullying policy. Efforts should be made to try to get him to see the situation from the perspective of the pupil being bullied
(xiii) It may also be appropriate or helpful to ask those involved to write down their account of the incident(s)
(xiv) In cases where it has been determined by the relevant class teacher(s) that bullying behaviour has occurred, the parents of the parties involved should be contacted, at an early stage, to inform them of the matter and explain the actions being taken. The school should give parents an opportunity of discussing ways in which they can reinforce or support the actions being taken by the school and the supports for their pupils
(xvi) It must also be made clear, to all involved (each set of pupils and parents) that in any situation where disciplinary sanctions are required, this is a private matter between the pupil being disciplined, his parents and the school;
(xvii) Follow-up meetings with the relevant parties involved may be arranged separately with a view to possibly bringing them together, at a later date, if the pupil who has been bullied is ready and agreeable
(xviii) An additional follow-up meeting with parents of the children involved may take place after an appropriate time, to ensure that the matter has been resolved satisfactorily
(xix) In determining whether a bullying case has been adequately and appropriately addressed, the relevant class teacher must as part of his/her professional judgement ,take the following factors into account
- Whether the bullying behaviour has ceased
- Whether any issues between the parties have been resolved, as far as is practicable
- Whether the relationships between the parties have been restored, as far as is practicable and
- Any feedback received from the parties involved, or from their parents to the school , Principal to Deputy Principal
(xxi) In the event that a parent has exhausted the school’s complaints procedures and is still not satisfied, the school will advise the parents of their right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.
RECORDING: Noting and reporting of bullying behaviour is to be documented using the template for recording bullying behaviour(Appendix 3). All records must be maintained in accordance with relevant data protection legislation. The school’s procedures for noting and reporting bullying behaviour will adhere to the following:
(i) While all reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with by the relevant class teacher(s), the relevant class teacher(s) will use his/her/their professional judgement in relation to the records to be kept of these reports, the actions taken and any discussions with those involved regarding same
(ii) If it is established by the relevant class teacher(s) that bullying has occurred, the relevant teacher(s) 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
(iii) The relevant teacher(s) must use the recording template at Appendix 3 to record the bullying behaviour (which is available on the Public Folder) in the following circumstances
a) 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 bullying behaviour occurred; and
b) where the school has decided as part of its anti-bullying policy that in certain circumstances bullying behaviour must be recorded and reported immediately to the Principal or Deputy Principal as applicable.
In each of the circumstances at (a) and (b) above, the recording template at Appendix 3 must be completed in full and retained by the teacher in question and a copy provided to the Principal or Deputy Principal as applicable. It should also be noted that the timeline for recording bullying behaviour in the recording template at Appendix 3 does not in any way preclude the relevant teacher from consulting the Principal or Deputy Principal at an earlier stage in relation to a case.
- The school’s programme of support for working with pupils affected by bullying is as follows :
- The school’s programme of support for working with pupils affected by bullying involves a whole school approach. Given the complexity of bullying behaviour, no one intervention/support programme works in all situations. Therefore various approaches and intervention strategies may be used including suggesting that parents seek referrals so that appropriate outside agencies in order to receive further support for the pupils and their families if needed.
- HSE / Counselling for those affected if serious.
- Pupils affected given opportunities to participate in activities designed to raise their self-esteem to develop their friendships and social skills and thereby build resilience.
- Pupils who engage in bullying behaviour may need counselling to help them learn alternative ways of dealing with their behaviours/emotions without violating the rights of others.
- Pupils who observe incidents of bullying are encouraged to discuss this with their teacher.
- Supervision and Monitoring of Pupils
- Prevention of Harassment
- This policy was adopted by the Board of Management in May 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. A record of the review and its outcome will be made available, if requested, to the Patron and the Department.
Indicators which may suggest a child is being bullied
Physical Indicators
Emotional/ Psychological Indicators
Signs of depression:
School Related Indicators
- Unexplained bruising, cuts etc.
- Loss of/ damage to personal property
- Hunger or thirst
- Frequent minor illnesses, headaches, tummy
- Bedwetting
- Loss of appetite
- Obsessive behaviour, physical appearance, weight
- Stammering
- Requests for extra money
Emotional/ Psychological Indicators
- Outbursts of anger, temper, irritability at home
- Bullying brother and sisters, parents
- Well behaved child suddenly troublesome
Signs of depression:
- Changes in: mood, appetite, sleep pattern
- Tiredness, neglect of appearance
- Expressions of sadness, worthlessness
- Nightmares, crying at night
- Restless, dangerous, wild, disruptive behaviour
- Cynicism, black mood
- Implied or overt threats of suicide
School Related Indicators
- Reluctance to go, wanting to be accompanied
- Returning in bad form
- Changing route
- Avoiding certain days/lessons
- Nervousness in class
- Punctuality problems
- Poor concentration
- Deterioration in school work
- Expressions of hopelessness
- Fewer phone calls, friends calling, invitations
- Reluctance to take part in activities
- Abusive phone calls, texts, email
