Anti-bullying and discrimination

If your child is being bullied, don’t panic. Your key role is listening, calming and providing reassurance that the situation can get better when action is taken.

• Listen and reassure them that coming to you was the right thing to do. Try and establish the facts. It can be helpful to keep a diary of events to share with the school.
• Assure them that the bullying is not their fault and that they have family that will support them. Reassure them that you will not take any action without discussing it with them first.
• Don’t encourage retaliation to bullying – such as violent actions. It’s important for children to avoid hitting or punching an abusive peer. Reacting that way has negative and unpredictable results- they may be hurt even further, and find that they are labelled as the problem. Rather suggest that they walk away and seek help.
• Find out what your child wants to happen next. Help to identify the choices open to them; the potential next steps to take; and the skills they may have to help solve the problems.
• Encourage your child to get involved in activities that build their confidence and esteem, and help them to form friendships outside of school (or wherever the bullying is taking place).
• Inform your child’s Head of Year by either phoning 01904 411341 or emailing antibullying@ahs.pmat.academy and explain what has happen.

We would recommend that parents complete the Anti-Bullying Alliances Learning Platform ‘Information Tool for Parents’ https://learning.ncb.org.uk/products/Information-Tool-for-Parents-and-Carers.aspx? which covers the following topics:-

• • Part 1: What is bullying?Part 2: The roles involved in bullyingPart 3: What to do if you think your child is being bullied

    Part 4: What to do if you know your child is being bullied

    Part 5: What to do if you think your child might be bullying others

    Part 6: What should the school be doing?

    Part 7: How to make a complaint about bullying at school

    Part 8: Cyberbullying (Online bullying)

Social media and online bullying

Social media and mobile phones are a part of your child’s life. This does not mean they are mature enough to manage them without support.

• Have open communication about their online activity
• Reassure them they can come to you if they are worried about anything they see online
• Check your child’s phone every day.
• Do not allow mobile phones to go to bed with your child. They need to have a break.  If they say they need an alarm, buy them an alarm clock.
• Ask your child if they know how to block someone who they don’t want to talk to anymore.  If they don’t, help them learn how to use the blocking feature
• If you discover misconduct between your child and someone online stay calm, investigate the facts and seek expert help. If someone has acted inappropriately towards your child, or someone they know (such as sexual chat, or asking them to meet up) contact the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)

For more information visit: www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/advice-parents/im-worried-about-cyberbullying

Find help and support

If you need help or advice about bullying there are helplines and websites that can provide you with information and support:

• Anti-bullying alliance – A really useful website (includes the Interactive toolkit), that provides useful advice and guidance.
• Family Lives (previously Parentline Plus) 0808 800 2222 – gives support and advice for parents on any aspect of parenting and family life, including bullying.
• Contact has a helpline for families with disabled children – they can give advice on bullying issues. You can contact them on 0808 808 3555 and visit their website for more information
• The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) Provides help and advice on cyberbullying, the Centre maintains a website called Think U Know for children and young people, and parents and carers about staying safe online.
• Internet Matters Provides regularly refreshed content to support parents and carers with all aspects of e-safety. Includes lots of advice on technology that can help you to protect your child online and helpful content relating to cyberbullying.
• Kidscape Provide workshops for children that need support with bullying issues as well as a helpline for parents and carers
• NSPCC and O2
• Ofsted Parent View website This website has an online questionnaire that allows parents and carers to give their views on their child’s school at any time of the year. The questionnaire asks for parents for their opinion on 12 aspects of their child’s school, from the quality of teaching, to dealing with bullying and poor behaviour, with a final question as to whether or not they would recommend the school to other parents.
• Red Balloon Learner Centres Red Balloon provide intensive, full-time education for children aged between 9 and 18 who feel unable to return to school because they have been severely bullied. There are Red Balloon Centres all over England, and they also have a programme of online support.
• Welldoing is an independent, UK-wide directory of therapists and counsellors who are all members of reputable professional organisations. There is a seperate search function for children and adolescents in need of therapists and counsellors. It also supplies information and advice in the areas of mental health, wellbeing and development.
• Counselling Directory provides a huge support network of counsellors, enabling visitors to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs.

As a school, we are committed to the following principles in preventing and responding to bullying and discrimination:

Listening – We listen to all pupils, parents and carers, ensuring their views help to shape our strategies and approaches to preventing, reporting and responding to bullying.

Inclusion – All pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), are valued, included and supported to participate fully in all aspects of school life.

Respect – All members of staff act as positive role models, demonstrating respect, kindness and consideration in their interactions with others.

Challenge – All forms of bullying, prejudice and discriminatory language, including disablist language, are challenged promptly and taken seriously.

Celebrating Difference – Diversity is actively promoted, celebrated and welcomed throughout the school community, fostering a culture of belonging and inclusion.

Understanding – Staff, pupils, parents and carers have a clear understanding of what constitutes bullying, discrimination and prejudice, as well as what does not.

Believing and Supporting – We acknowledge, listen to and take seriously all reports of bullying from pupils, including those with SEND, and their parents or carers.

Reporting – Pupils, parents and carers know how to report concerns about bullying and discrimination and can do so with confidence.

Taking Action – We respond promptly and effectively to all reports of bullying and discrimination. Pupils, including those with SEND, are involved in decisions about how incidents are addressed and supported throughout the process.

Clear Policies and Procedures – Our Anti-Bullying Policy reflects these principles and is embedded within our wider policies and practices. It is regularly reviewed and actively promoted to staff, pupils, parents and carers.

If you have any concerns regarding bullying or discrimination, please contact your child’s Head of Year by calling 01904 411341 or by submitting a concern through our online reporting form.

Anti-Bullying and Anti-Discrimination Initiatives

Raising Awareness

Every classroom will display an Anti-Bullying and Anti-Discrimination poster outlining what students should do if they experience or witness bullying and explaining why bullying and discrimination are unacceptable.

Each half-term, the school will deliver a focused anti-bullying initiative to reinforce the importance of creating a respectful, inclusive and safe school community.

The school newsletter will regularly feature updates and articles highlighting the work being undertaken to prevent bullying and discrimination and promote positive relationships.

We actively encourage all members of our school community to Choose Respect in their interactions with others.

Our Anti-Bullying Policy

We are committed to regularly reviewing and developing our Anti-Bullying Policy to ensure it remains effective in preventing bullying and supporting those affected by it. Students, parents and carers will be invited to contribute to this process.

The policy will be widely promoted across the school community and made accessible to all students, staff, parents and carers.

Student Voice

We will gather student feedback through surveys and other consultation activities to monitor levels of wellbeing, belonging and bullying. This information will be used to inform school improvement and the development of future anti-bullying initiatives.

We provide a range of ways for students and parents/carers to report bullying and discrimination, including:

• Speaking to any member of staff, who will follow the school’s reporting and response procedures.
• Contacting the relevant Head of Year by telephone on 01904 411341.
• Emailing antibullying@ahs.pmat.academy.
• Completing an online reporting form.
• Submitting a concern anonymously using a reporting form.

Recording and Monitoring

All incidents of bullying and discrimination will be recorded and monitored. This information will be analysed to identify patterns, inform future developments and evaluate the effectiveness of our strategies.

A summary of this information will be shared regularly with the Governing Body.

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion

We actively promote diversity, equality and inclusion through:

• Form Time activities.
• Acts of Collective Worship.
• PSHCE and Cultural Capital lessons.
• Curriculum areas across the school, including subjects such as Religious Education, Geography and Art.

We celebrate and value the diversity of our school community and strive to ensure that all students feel respected, represented and included.

Peer Support and Student Leadership

We will maintain a student Anti-Bullying and Anti-Discrimination Working Group to help shape the school’s approach, review practice and lead awareness campaigns.

Students will be trained as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors/Defenders to promote positive relationships, support their peers and help create a culture of respect.

Responding to Bullying

All reports of bullying and discrimination will be taken seriously and acted upon promptly.

A range of evidence-informed intervention strategies will be used to address incidents effectively. Responses will focus on stopping the bullying, supporting those affected and promoting positive behavioural change.

Action plans will include SMART outcomes (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound) where appropriate.

The school will seek to learn from every incident and continuously improve its practice.

Students who have experienced bullying will be supported throughout the process, with regular reviews of actions taken and ongoing communication with parents and carers.

Where appropriate, support may be sought from external agencies, including local support services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the police and children’s services.

Restorative approaches will be considered on a case-by-case basis where they are appropriate, safe and in the best interests of those involved.

Staff Training

All staff receive regular anti-bullying training and have access to high-quality professional development opportunities.

New members of staff receive anti-bullying training as part of their induction programme.

Staff are provided with up-to-date guidance, resources and information on emerging issues and effective anti-bullying practice.

All staff understand their legal responsibilities, recognise when bullying may constitute a safeguarding concern and know how to report and escalate concerns appropriately.