We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all students so they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. Bullying or harassment of any kind is unacceptable. If bullying does occur, all students should feel able to report it with confidence that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. 

We are a telling school. This means that anyone who knows or suspects that bullying is happening - to themselves or to anyone else - is expected to tell the staff or use one of the other channels provided. Bullying will not be tolerated in the school and any cases reported will be dealt with effectively.

What Is Bullying?

Bullying can be experienced by both adults and children. Although there is no legal definition of bullying, a useful working definition is ‘…a wilful, conscious desire to hurt another and put him or her under stress’ (Tattum and Lane, Bullying in Schools).

The DfE defines bullying in its advice to schools Preventing and Tackling Bullying (2017) as:

‘Behaviour by an individual or group, usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or mentally.’

Bullying may be motivated by prejudice against particular groups, for example on grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation. It may be motivated by difference, real or perceived, between children.

Bullying differs from teasing/falling out between friends or other types of aggressive behaviour because

• there is a deliberate intention to hurt or humiliate – the person or people doing the bullying know what they are doing and mean to do it;
• there is a power imbalance that makes it hard for the person being bullied to defend themselves;
• it is usually persistent – there will be a pattern of behaviour.

Occasionally a one-off incident may be deemed to be bullying even though the behaviour has not been repeated or persistent if it fulfils all other descriptions of bullying. 

What support does the school offer?

• We have a team of Sixth Form students who act as anti-Bullying mentors;  they are trained to deal with bullying situations and help students who may be in difficulty. 
• Phase Leaders are the main point of contact for help and support within the school and have access to a range of strategies that can be used.
• Students can approach any member of staff or a member of the anti-bullying mentor team. Close relationships are built up with these mentors through regular form visits and activities. 
• Our Behaviour and Welfare Practitioner is a professional counsellor and available to students in all year groups.
• We organise activities, and assemblies during our annual anti-bullying week to raise awareness.

The school's Anti-Bullying Policy explains in greater detail how the school deals with bullying.

To students....

If you feel you  -  or someone else you know - are being bullied then please tell us so that we can do something about it.  Information about who to contact and how can be found in your information booklets via your iPads, or in student planners.