Anti-Bullying Policy
BULLYING - A MESSAGE FOR PARENTS
The education and welfare of your son is our prime concern. Anything that distracts or causes anxiety to your child is an urgent pastoral issue for the school.
Bullying is an issue that affects all organisations and Belfast Boys' Model School is constantly vigilant. If you feel your son is the victim of bullying at school, you should discuss it with him and contact the school.
- Familiarise yourself with our Anti-Bullying Code, which is printed in your son's Homework Diary.
- Reassure your son that there is nothing wrong with him. He is not to blame, nor is he the only victim.
- Identify who is involved, where the bullying takes place, when it happens and what happens.
- Advise your son not to try and buy the bully off with sweets, presents or money.
- Contact a member of your son's Year Team: Form Teacher, Year Teacher, Counsellor or Head of School.
Together we can reduce the likelihood and impact of bullying.
REMEMBER: BULLYING IS NOT TOLERATED IN BELFAST BOYS' MODEL SCHOOL.
ANTI-BULLYING POLICY
Belfast Boys' Model School is 'Dedicated to the Pursuit of Excellence'. Included in this 'pursuit' is the commitment to provide a safe and supportive environment where pupils are free from threat, coercion and intimidation, where their welfare is paramount and where a systematic pastoral network ensures their security and well being.
This policy is aimed at identifying and reducing the problems of Bullying in our school and community. It is part of a school wide strategy that seeks to provide responsive and caring ethos in which the academic, vocational, pastoral and emotional needs of every pupil are met - and every pupil feels valued and significant.
The adoption of a 'Year Team' approach facilitates the monitoring of Bullying in whole year groups, with Form Teachers, Head of Year and Year Counsellor investigating the problems at weekly meetings. There is also a dedicated Counselling Team who have professional credentials and theoretical confidence.
- We recognise that Bullies and bullying - and therefore victims and victimisation - exist in our institution.
- We believe that a systematic, whole school policy (Governors, Management, all teaching staff, pupils and their families and the wider membership of our auxiliary team) that is based on continuity and review will significantly reduce incidents of Bullying.
- Our Strategies will focus on breaking the bully's allies of fear and silence by improving channels of communication and instilling the confidence to speak out in all our pupils.
- Pastoral concerns will be the prime concern of the influential Integrated Guidance Committee where the Head of Counselling will have a guaranteed place along with the Principal, Vice Principal, Senior Masters and Heads of School.
- The adoption of a 'Year Team' approach will facilitate the monitoring of bullying reports in whole year pastoral groups. Form Teachers of year groups together with the designated Head of Year and Year Counsellor can highlight and investigate the problems at weekly meetings.
- The promotion and resourcing of a dedicated counselling team in crucial Committing time, space and finance will allow our team to increase conspicuity and prestige. An easily identified and accessible member of staff who builds trust with staff and pupils in a key element in our planning. Such staff will be encouraged to seek professional credentials and theoretical confidence.
- We will complete our "Bullying Policy" documentation which will formalise and focus all the disparate groupings who attend to this problem.
- Our Bullying Code will be displayed in every classroom and in prominent areas around the school.
- We will create a step by step guide for pupils, alerting them to dangers and appropriate reactions. Such a guide will be presented in their Homework Diary which they always carry - and parents check.
- Units on Bullying and Victims will be built into our successful Personal and Social Education Classes (PSE).
- We will hold a "Bullying Week" as a regular event in the school calendar. Assemblies, Form Classes, Subject Departments will all focus on the problem and the solutions.
- Heads of School, Heads of Year and Year Counsellors will regularly lead assemblies on the issue so that the subjugation of Bullying is always on school and pupil agendas.
- Auxiliary Staff will be formally addressed and kept abreast of these initiatives: respecting and utilising their essential local knowledge, insights and perceptions.
- Senior Pupils and prefects will be arranged to junior form classes and encouraged to bond with and lead their younger school mates their example and subsequent relationships will further add to our communication conducts.
- The heightening and redefining of the Form Teacher role will aid relationships with home and pupil. The form teacher will become a pastoral team member rather than a 'role marker'. Regular contact with parents, listening to their concerns and ideas will aid our campaign.
- Bullying will be highlighted in our various induction schemes: Year 8, Year 11, Year 13 and Year 14 - illustrating the persuasiveness of this societal problem, and our determination to eliminate it.
- The counselling team will begin to create a Bullying Resource Bank - Literature, Videos, Theory/Case Study Packs for use by all staff in their subject specialisms and form and PSE classes.
- We will continue to co-operate with outside agencies who share our concerns (eg Shankill Stress and Trauma Group's Bullying Initiative).
- New teachers will be given appropriate workshops as part of their Induction Programme.
- We will create an 'Advice for Teachers' guidance document, based on informed research, so that all staff can develop an understanding of and common approach to the problem.
- 'A Message to the Bullies' will be devised and displayed prominently around the school buildings.
- The Headmaster will reiterate our anti-bullying philosophy and policies at regular staff meetings/briefings.
- Bullies activities will be clearly addressed in our discipline code - but they too will be offered counselling.
Our concerted efforts and beliefs can be summarised in one simple message:
"Bullying will NOT be tolerated at Belfast Boys' Model School"