Scoil Uí Mhuirí

Scoil Ui Mhuiri Anti-Bullying Policy

Scope of Policy

This policy on bullying will apply to the members of the school community of Scoil Ui Mhuiri during all school related activities.


Policy Rationale

Our policy aims to provide a school programme which will deepen the awareness of the many different varieties of bullying, and to thus promote a safe environment for all of our students and staff.

Mission Statement

In Scoil Ui Mhuiri we believe school should be a safe place where everyone is respected, students and staff. Bullying behaviour will not be tolerated. When bullying is reported, they will be listened to, validated, supported and every effort will be made to ensure the bullying is stopped.

Definition

Bullying is repeated aggression, verbal, psychological or physical, racial, sexual or relational, conducted by an individual or group against others.

Types of Bullying
" Verbal
Name-calling, jeering, teasing, taunting, slagging, threatening.

" Physical
Hitting, kicking, pushing, pinching, tripping, stealing or damaging property.

" Psychological
Excluding, isolating, demeaning, ridiculing, malicious gossip, spreading rumours, passing notes, using peer pressure to intimidate, threatening gestures or looks

" Sexual
Unwelcome sexual comments or touches, spreading rumours about a person's sexual orientation, taunting a person of different sexual orientation.



" Racist
Discrimination, prejudice, comments or insults about colour, nationality culture or ethnicity.

" Relational
Manipulating relationships as a means of bullying by: ignoring, excluding from the group, taking someone's friends away, complete ostracism, spreading rumours, breaking confidence, huddling together as a way of excluding others, talking loud enough so that the victim can hear their name being mentioned, the 'look'.

Rights and Responsibilities
Every student in Scoil Ui Mhuiri has the right to enjoy school without fear of intimidation or harassment. Every staff member has the right to a work life free from intimidation or harassment. Every parent has the right to feel that their children are safe from bullying while at school. The whole school community, staff, students and parents has a responsibility to ensure that all members feel safe & happy at school. In particular people who witness bullying behaviour or who know that it is happening have a responsibility to report it so that it can be stopped.


Preventative Measures

The following is a list of pro-active strategies we aim to employ in the prevention of bullying:
" Whole school agreement about policy & procedures to be followed when bullying is reported.
" An anti-bullying curriculum will be taught initially to all students and thereafter to all 1st year students early in the school year.
" A curriculum to deal with relational/girl bullying will be taught following staff training.
" Parent Awareness Programme.
" A time-tabled Anti- bullying Awareness/ Friendship Week annually, to be held around Halloween.
" Regular confidential questionnaire to be followed up within 2 weeks (confidential e-mail address for the reporting of bullying).
" Mentoring system for new pupils and new staff members.
" Informing new staff, students & parents about policy & procedures.
" Induction form for all new students & parents to be included in handbook on 1st Year induction day.
" Provision of Suggestion Box to include Anti Bullying reporting.
" On-going teacher training in the management of bullying behaviour.





Procedures for telling.

It is of the utmost importance that students tell if they are being bullied in school or if they know of another student who is being bullied

Students are assured that all incidents of bullying will be dealt with confidentially, within the Child Protection Guidelines. Only those who need to know will be informed & every effort will be made to ensure the safety of a student reporting bullying.

Who to tell.
Parents, a prefect, any teacher, tutor, year head, deputy principal, principal or a member of the anti-bullying committee.

How to tell.
Come and talk to a teacher at an appropriate time.
Get a parent or friend to tell on your behalf.
Hand up a note with homework.
Phone the school.
Fill in the confidential questionnaire.
Send an email to the confidential email address (must be signed).
Post a note in the anti-bullying post -box provided in the lobby (must be signed).

What will happen when you tell.
You will be listened to.
You may be given the choice of writing an account or telling your story.
An incident report will be written.
The incident will be investigated as confidentially as possible.
You will be kept informed.

What will happen if you are alleged to have used bullying behaviour.
You will be listened to.
You may be given the choice to write an account or to tell your side of the story.
A record will be kept. ( under DES guidelines we are required to keep records)
You will be assured of a fair hearing.
If you have used bullying behaviour, sanctions will be applied.
Incidents will be monitored, and you will be expected to stop using bullying
behaviour. You must not use retaliation.



Procedures for Investigating

" Students reporting bullying and students alleged to be bullying will be interviewed separately by designated teachers during the school day. Witnesses may also be interviewed.
" A restorative approach will be used when investigating incidents. The emphasis will be on seeking a change in behaviour.
" However the agreed sanction system will apply where a student has been found to have used bullying behaviour.
" A record will be kept of the proceedings.


Procedures for Recording

" A record of all reports of bullying will be kept. The report form will be filled out in the presence of the student, and the student will be asked to sign and date the report.
" When an investigation is complete & a student has been found to be bullying, they may be asked to sign an agreement that the behaviour will not recur. A parent may also be asked to sign.
" Class Observation Strategies and Sociograms may be used by teachers to ascertain the extent & nature of bullying in a class.
" These records will be kept on file for 3 years after all students concerned in the incident have left the school. The records will then be shredded.



Procedures for Resolving

" Students will not normally be brought together to resolve incidents and this will only take place where the victim is willing and able to face the alleged bully. Parents may be asked to give permission for mediation to occur.











Agreed Sanction System

When students have been found to have used bullying behaviour the existing sanction system for discipline will apply and sanctions may range from a verbal warning to other sanctions depending on the seriousness of the offence.

1st Incident
A verbal reprimand.
Material will be provided about what constitutes bullying and the effects it has on the victim of bullying. Question Sheet based on this material must be completed. Parents informed.


2nd Incident
Meeting with parents and principal. Contract to be signed regarding future behaviour. Appropriate counselling will be offered to both parties.

3rd Incident
Meeting with parents followed by suspension.

4th Incident
Referral to Board of Management.

Supports

Support will be offered to students who are victims and to students using bullying behaviour on a persistent basis particularly in the time during an investigation and in the period immediately after. e.g. counselling, referral to psychological services etc.

Monitoring of incidents:

Teacher/s will link in with all students concerned for a period of time to ensure that the bullying has stopped. This may be done informally or in the case of persistent offenders on a formal basis.


Informing new staff members

An information pack will be provided for new staff members, including policy and procedures to be followed in the case of alleged bullying. A staff member has been assigned to act as mentor for new staff. New staff members will be informed about effective classroom management procedures used in this school. Time will be allocated for this.


Procedures for bullying among staff.

Staff to staff bullying will be resolved according to IVEA guidelines.

Procedures for Student to Teacher bullying.

Teacher will report bullying behaviour by student.
The allegation will be investigated by Principal, and the student involved will be advised to review their communication with teacher.

1st Incident
Material will be provided about what constitutes bullying and its effects. Question sheet based on this material must be completed. Parents will be informed.

2nd Incident
.Meeting with parents and principal. Contract to be signed regarding future behaviour. Appropriate counselling will be offered to both parties.

3rd Incident
Meeting with parents followed by suspension.

4th Incident
Referral to Board of Management.


Procedures for Teacher to Student bullying.

Staff member will be informed of allegation of bullying in order to facilitate immediate resolution of problem.

If not resolved by this action the staff member will report allegation to Principal.
Principal will investigate and if bullying is deemed to have occurred the following steps will be followed. If the allegation relates to the Principal then the Vice- Principal will investigate.

1st Incident
Teacher will be advised to review their engagement with the student and will be offered professional developement opportunities.

2nd Incident
If a further incident of bullying occurs a verbal warning will be given.

3rd Incident
A written warning will be issued.

4th Incident
Any subsequent incidence of bullying will be dealt with by the Board of Management.

Teacher deemed to having used bullying behaviour has at all stages the right to appeal decisions.


Policy Evaluation.

The policy will be reviewed every 2 years by questionnaire to all parties, staff, students and parents.


Agreed by: Staff of Scoil Uí Mhuirí on Wed 12th April 08.

Ratified by Board of Management on 12 April 08.
Reviewed 2010.