At Elmwood we firmly believe that the welfare of each child is a crucial part of their being able to access their full entitlement to education. We have in place an anti-bullying policy that can be downloaded from this website.  The School has maintained the Silver Award through Walsall’s Anti Bullying Charter Mark.

BULLYING

Bullying is defined as the repetitive, intentional harming of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power.

Bullying is, therefore:

  • Deliberately hurtful
  • Repeated, often over a period of time
  • Difficult to defend against

Bullying can include:

Type of bullying Definition
Emotional Being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting
Physical Hitting, kicking, pushing, taking another’s belongings, any use of violence
Racial Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
Sexual Explicit sexual remarks, display of sexual material, sexual gestures, unwanted physical attention, comments about sexual reputation or performance, or inappropriate touching
Direct or indirect verbal Name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing
Cyber-bullying Bullying that takes place online, such as through social networking sites, messaging apps or gaming sites

Details of our school’s approach to preventing and addressing bullying are set out in our anti-bullying strategy. 

Reporting and recording incidents of bullying

Pupils and parents are encouraged to report bullying to any member of staff or pupil council members. Pupils can either fill in the Blue bullying forms or see a member of staff who will then record using CPOMS. Incidents are in the first instance referred to Mr Hawkes to be investigated, appropriate action taken and parents will be informed promptly using usual school procedures. Pupil voice is important at Elmwood and the view that Elmwood School is a TELLING school is reinforced via assemblies, Anti-Bullying Week, PSHEE and during form time. A log will be maintained of racist incidents and information on incidents of bullying using CPOMS. The school is aware of guidelines that indicate that some bullying may be recorded as age appropriate play and that some ‘bullying’ may be due to pupils’ statemented condition. It is important when staff do record incident of bullying in that they record using the terms ‘perpetrator’ and ‘victim’.

Tackling Bullying

Elmwood School has developed this policy in accordance with the principles set out in the DfE Preventing and tackling bullying. Advice for head teachers, staff and governing bodies 2012.

This policy should also be viewed in light of other school policies such as the Behaviour Policy and PSHEE policy. The aim of any anti-bullying intervention is to safeguard and support the victim, discipline and modify the behaviour of the perpetrator with a view to prevent, de-escalate and stop further incidents of harmful behaviour.

Strategies for dealing with bullying incidents

  • Ensuring that there is a promotion of an open and honest anti-bullying ethos in the school
  • Investigate all allegations of bullying
  • Calendared anti- bullying week
  • Assemblies whole school that promote a sense of community
  • Class discussions and role plays in Drama, English and Theme that draw out anti – bullying messages
  • Acceptable Internet Use policy is signed by all and e-safety are discussed in lessons.
  • Ongoing staff induction and training programme
  • Adequate staff supervision at lunch and break times as well as
  • Clear and consistently applied policies for Behaviour and Uniform
  • A phased approach; A word privately with the bully, a more formal meeting, getting the bully to meet with victim, phone calls home, a Home school agreement signed by all pupils and parents, fixed term exclusion, Police involvement, Permanent exclusion.

Strategies for dealing with the perpetrator

  • Disciplinary sanction imposed either exclusion or period of time in the inclusion room
  • Engage promptly with parents to ensure their support and involvement
  • Restorative justice approaches taken as appropriate
  • One to one interviews with staff or peer mentors
  • Counselling offered
  • Work with the educational psychologist
  • Anger management strategies discussed

Strategies to support a victim

  • Disciplinary sanctions as appropriate applied to the bully
  • Counselling offered
  • Mediation
  • Out of lesson support passes issued
  • Short term modification of school timetable
  • One to one parental interview parental support and involvement
  • Private diaries given
  • Self assertive strategies discussed

RACIST INCIDENTS

Our definition of a racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.

We have in place a racist incident policy that can be made available to parents upon written request.

LINKS

ChildLine is a website that provides free and confidential advice to children and young people in the UK.