FLAMBOYANT SCHOOL

Towards a safe and secure learning environment:
Our policy on bullying and discrimination

"To ignore bullying is to approve bullying"

Flamboyant School is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment. To ensure this, all members of the School community have a responsibility to actively practice and promote:

tolerance for individual differences
the values of courtesy, compassion and a care for others in the conduct of interpersonal relations
a supportive and encouraging climate where the achievements and efforts of others are applauded

Every member of the School community has the right to be free from bullying, harassment, intimidation and discrimination.

In our efforts to ensure the above:

We will not tolerate bullying at our School, as stated in the Code of Conduct and the Discipline Polity. This hurtful behaviour is unacceptable and will be dealt with in accordance with the guidelines contained in this document.
Any incidents of bullying will be dealt with in confidence and there will be consequences for this unacceptable behaviour.
The Code of Conduct and Discipline Policy states that bullying warrants a detention and/or parent interview. However, each case will be dealt with on an individual basis and will be handled at the discretion of the member of staff involved, having followed the procedures laid down in this document.
Any incidents of bullying will be seriously investigated and a course of action will be followed to provide support for the victim and aim to change the behaviour of the bully.

Definitions

For the purpose of this policy, bullying can be defined as "a deliberate, conscious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten someone".

We define the types of bullying as:

Physical bullying fighting, pushing, shoving, invasion of personal space and the destruction of property
Verbal bullying any comment of an offensive nature that refers to ability, race, religion, gender or sexuality; including name-calling, offensive language and spreading of rumours
Gesture bulling includes making gestures to intimidate or to embarrass
Exclusion bullying includes the deliberate isolation of an individual from his peer group
Extortion bullying the use of force to obtain money, food or personal belongings from other pupils; getting other pupils to do tasks

Strategies of intervention

Sometimes people are inclined not to report bulling because of a misguided fear of making the situation worse. It is critical that all forms of bullying be addressed and consequently the school believes that all incidents should be reported.

Procedures for reporting

Anyone who is bullied, or who witnesses an incident of bullying behaviour, should follow the procedures outlined below:

As pupil you should alert the school, an adult or staff member
As parent discuss the situation with your child's teacher or the Head as soon as possible
As a teacher, after ensuring the safety of the "victim", discuss the incident with your Head of Department, Deputy Head or Headmaster

Intervention by the school

All reports of bullying will be investigated. The level of intervention we adopt will be guided by the seriousness of the situation. We will hear both sides and act appropriately.

We may respond in one of the following ways :

Level 1 intervention (less serious cases)
Staff who encounter less serious incidents of bullying may use the "no blame" approach. The aim here is to educate pupils of the effects of their behaviour and its unacceptable nature. It is essentially discussion without punishment and would be used to assist pupils' awareness of their own behaviour and the School's expectations.

Level 2 intervention (more serious cases)
An interview process would be used to assist the bully to understand the seriouness of the incident, to appreciate the feelings of the other person and, if necessary, to pay for any damages. The expectations for future behaviour would be clearly explained and the pupil's parents may be contacted. The bullied pupil would be supported by helping him/her to develop ways of dealing with any further bullying. A detention, at least, will be imposed on the bully.

Level 3 intervention (most serious case)
This would apply to such situations as physical assault, sexual harassment or repeated bullying offences. The School would implement further measures of conflict resolution which may include bringing together the families of those involved. An agreement regarding standards of future behaviour may be negotiated and a contract made between the bully and the School. In instances of continual or gross acts of bullying the School would carefully consider the consequences of the bully's continued enrolment at the School.