1. In accordance with the requirements of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools (2008), the Board of Management of Scoil Mhuire, Coolcotts has adopted the following Anti-Bullying Policy within the framework of the school’s overall Code of Behaviour. This policy complies fully with the requirements of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (2013).
2. The Board of Management recognises the very serious nature of bullying and the negative impact that it can have on the lives of pupils and is therefore fully committed to the following key principles of best practice in preventing and tackling bullying behaviour:
- A positive school culture and climate which:
- Is welcoming of difference and diversity and is based on inclusivity.
- Encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour in a non-threatening environment.
- Promotes respectful relationships across the school community.
- Effective leadership by the Board, Principal, In-school Management Team, teachers, SNAs and non-teaching staff to set standards, model best practice and ensure a whole-school approach to preventing and tackling bullying.
- A whole community approach to the problem of bullying comprising school management, teachers, SNAs, non-teaching staff, pupils and Parents/Guardians, with the assistance of the Gardaí and Tusla as appropriate.
- The promotion of a shared understanding among Parents/Guardians, pupils, staff and the wider community of what bullying is and its impact.
- Implementation of education and prevention strategies, including awareness raising measures that:
- Build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils.
- Explicitly address the issues of cyber bullying and identity-based bullying including in particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying.
- Effective supervision and monitoring of pupils by staff.
- Supports for staff, including ongoing professional development and regular review of our Anti-Bullying Policy and accompanying procedures.
- Consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour, including use of established intervention strategies.
- Ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of our Anti-Bullying Policy and practices.
3. Definition of Bullying
In accordance with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (2013) bullying is defined as follows:
Bullying is unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical conducted, by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time.
Isolated or once-off incidents of intentional negative behaviour, including a once-off offensive or hurtful text message or other private messaging, do not fall within the definition of bullying and will be dealt with, as appropriate, in accordance with our Code of Behaviour.
However, in the context of this policy, placing a once-off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying behaviour.
Bullying Behaviours which Scoil Mhuire has identified as relevant to our context:
| Type of Behaviour | Examples of the Behaviour (not exhaustive) |
| General Behaviours which Apply to All Types of Bullying |
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| Cyber Bullying |
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| Identity Based Bullying Behaviours | Including any of the nine discriminatory grounds in Irish equality legislation, i.e. gender including transgender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community |
| Homophobic & Transgender Bullying |
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| Race, Nationality, Ethnic Background & Membership of the Traveller Community |
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| Relational Bullying | This involves manipulating relationships as a means of bullying.
Behaviours include:
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| Sexual Bullying |
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| Special Educational Needs & Disability |
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4. Relevant Teacher for Investigating and Dealing with Bullying
The member of teaching staff who has responsibility for investigating and dealing with bullying is referred to as the relevant teacher. In Scoil Mhuire, the relevant teacher will normally be the class teacher. The relevant teacher in some instances may be the Principal, Deputy Principal, teacher on supervision duty, special education teacher, Nurture Room teacher, Pupil Support Team member or HSCL Co-ordinator.
5. Education and Prevention Strategies
The education and prevention strategies, including strategies specifically aimed at cyber bullying and identity-based bullying including in particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying, that will be used by Scoil Mhuire are as follows:
Schoolwide Strategies
- The right of every member of the school community to be safe and secure in school is promoted actively.
- Respectful behaviour is modelled to all members of the school community at all times and diversity is celebrated.
- Scoil Mhuire’s RESPECT Code (Positive Discipline Policy), Code of Behaviour, Anti-Bullying Policy and Restorative Practice are implemented consistently. School rules are taught explicitly and the unacceptability of bullying behaviour is highlighted regularly through class-based discussions and school assemblies.
- Pupil activity in classrooms, general purpose rooms, circulation areas, school grounds, and during school outings and school-initiated extra-curricular activities are supervised and monitored appropriately by school staff.
- Key respect messages are displayed in classrooms, in assembly areas and around the school.
- Pupils are provided with constructive feedback when respectful behaviour and respectful language are absent. The display of desired respectful behaviours by pupils are noticed and acknowledged formally.
- The use of discriminatory and derogatory language in school, including homophobic and racist language and language that is belittling of pupils with special educational needs, is tackled consistently.
- Pupils are encouraged to comply with school policy and rules on mobile phone and internet use. Non-compliance is followed through on.
- Parents/Guardians are made aware of all aspects of bullying, how it impacts on pupils’ lives and how incidents should be responded to by them through information sessions and via the Anti-Bullying Policy on the school’s website.
- Whole-staff and focussed professional development on bullying to ensure that staff develops an awareness of what bullying is, how it impacts on pupils’ lives and the need to respond to it through prevention and intervention measures.
- Involvement of the Student Council in contributing to a safe school environment, including:
- Buddy systems.
- Student support activities.
- Development and promotion of an Anti-Bullying Code to be displayed in classrooms and circulation areas.
- Feedback to school management on the effectiveness of existing anti-bullying measures and the proposal of new measures.
- School staff, Parents/Guardians, the Parents’ Association and Student Council involvement in whole-school awareness raising measures around social media and other potential forms of bullying, including the hosting of an annual Anti-Bullying/Friendship Week.
Cultivation of a Culture of Telling
- A culture of telling is encouraged, with particular emphasis on the importance of bystanders.
- It is made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying, they are behaving responsibly.
- Pupils will know who to tell and how to tell. They may:
- Approach a teacher directly at an appropriate time.
- Hand a note up with their homework.
- Ask a Parent/Guardian or friend to tell on their behalf.
- Staff and Parents/Guardians are encouraged to be vigilant in watching out for signs of bullying and to report any suspicion of bullying they may have to the relevant teacher.
- All reports, including anonymous reports of bullying, are investigated and dealt with by the relevant teacher.
Curriculum Implementation
- Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE), the Stay Safe Programme and Relationships & Sexuality Education (RSE) will be implemented fully throughout the school.
- Relevant professional development opportunities and resources are provided for teachers to facilitate their implementation of these programmes.
- Pupils are explicitly taught what respectful language and respectful behaviour looks like, acts like, sounds like and feels like in class and around the school.
- Discrete lessons to promote pupils’ awareness of and ability to respond to bullying situations are implemented on a schoolwide basis annually.
- Special education teachers reinforce the messages of these lessons with pupils with special educational needs as appropriate.
- Pupils, particularly those in middle and senior classes, are taught explicitly about the appropriate use of social media as part of the school’s measures to prevent and raise awareness regarding cyber bullying, including the use of the Webwise Primary Programme.
- The awareness of pupils, particularly those in senior classes, is raised in an age-appropriate way and in a manner that reflects the school’s ethos regarding homophobic and transphobic bullying, including through the use of resources such as Sexual Orientation – Advice for Primary Schools (PDST) and All Together Now! (BeLonG To Youth Services & St Patrick’s College, DCU, 2016).
Other School Policies that Support Our Education and Prevention Strategies
- Code of Behaviour
- Child Safeguarding Statement
- Supervision Policy
- School Tours & Outings Policy
- Acceptable Use Policy
- Mobile Phone Policy
- School Attendance Strategy
6. Procedures for Investigating and Dealing with Bullying
The primary aim in investigating and dealing with bullying is to resolve any issues and to restore, as far as practicable, the relationships of the parties involved.
Reporting Bullying Behaviour
- Any pupil or Parent/Guardian may bring a bullying incident to the attention of any staff member in the school.
- All reports, including anonymous reports of bullying, will be investigated and dealt with by the relevant teacher.
- Teaching and non-teaching staff, including SNAs, school secretary, caretaker and cleaners will report any incidents of bullying behaviour witnessed by them, or mentioned to them, to the relevant teacher.
- In investigating and dealing with bullying, the relevant teacher will exercise his/her professional judgement to determine whether bullying has occurred and how best the situation might be resolved.
- Parents/Guardians and pupils are required to co-operate with any investigation and assist the school in resolving any issues and restoring, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved as quickly as possible.
- Teachers take a calm, unemotional problem-solving approach when dealing with incidents of alleged bullying behaviour reported by pupils, staff or Parents/Guardians.
- Incidents are generally best investigated outside the classroom situation to ensure the privacy of all involved.
- All interviews are conducted with sensitivity and with due regard to the rights of all pupils concerned. Pupils who are not directly involved can also provide very useful information.
- When analysing incidents of bullying, the relevant teacher will seek answers to questions of what, where, when, who and why.
- Pupils may be asked for a written account of what happened, as part of any investigation.
- If a group is involved, each member will be interviewed individually at first. Thereafter, all those involved will be met as a group. At the group meeting, each member will be asked for his/her account of what happened to ensure that everyone in the group is clear about each other’s statements.
- Each member of a group will be supported through the possible pressures that may face them from the other members of the group after interview by the relevant teacher.
- Where it has been determined by the relevant teacher that bullying behaviour has occurred, the Parents/Guardians of the parties involved will be contacted at an early stage to inform them of the matter and to explain the actions being taken by reference to school policy. Parents/Guardians will be given an opportunity of discussing ways in which they can reinforce or support the actions being taken by the school.
- Where the relevant teacher has determined that a pupil has been engaged in bullying behaviour, it will be made clear to him/her how he/she is in breach of the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy and efforts will be made to try to get him/her to see the situation from the perspective of the pupil being bullied.
- It will be made clear to all involved, each set of pupils and Parents/Guardians, that in any situation where disciplinary sanctions are required, this is a private matter between the pupil being disciplined, his or her Parents/Guardians and the school.
Follow Up By the Relevant Teacher
- In determining whether a bullying case has been adequately and appropriately addressed the relevant teacher will, as part of his/her professional judgement, take the following factors into account:
- Whether the bullying behaviour has ceased.
- Whether any issues between the parties have been resolved as far as is practicable.
- Whether the relationships between the parties have been restored as far as is practicable.
- Any feedback received from the parties involved, their Parents/Guardians or the school Principal or Deputy Principal.
- Follow-up meetings with the relevant parties involved will be arranged separately with a view to possibly bringing them together at a later date if the pupil who has been bullied is ready and agreeable.
- In cases where the relevant teacher considers that the bullying behaviour has not been adequately and appropriately addressed within 20 school days after he/she has determined that bullying behaviour has occurred, the relevant teacher will proceed to Formal Stage 2.
- Where a Parent/Guardian is not satisfied that the school has dealt with a bullying case in accordance with these procedures, the Parents/Guardians will be referred, as appropriate, to the school’s Parental Complaints Procedure.
- In the event that a Parent/Guardian has exhausted the Parental Complaints Procedure and is still not satisfied, the school will advise the Parents/Guardians of their right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.
7. Procedures for Recording of Bullying Behaviour
Bullying incidents are recorded in an objective and factual manner. The school’s procedures for noting and reporting bullying behaviour are as follows:
A. Informal Stage – Bullying is Alleged to Have Occurred
- All staff keep a written record of any incidents witnessed by them or notified to them. All incidents must be reported to the relevant teacher, which in most instances will be the class teacher.
- All reports, including anonymous reports of alleged bullying are investigated and dealt with by the relevant teacher.
- Where bullying is alleged to have occurred but cannot be verified, the relevant teacher will complete Bullying Report – Informal Stage on Aladdin (see Appendix 1). This is the relevant teacher’s written record of the reports, the actions taken and any discussions with those involved.
- The relevant teacher emails the Principal/Deputy Principal notifying them of all incidents being investigated by alerting them that a Bullying Report – Informal Stage has been completed on Aladdin.
- The relevant teacher may contact the Parent/Guardian of the alleged bully informing them of the allegation being made, if deemed appropriate.
B. Formal Stage 1 – Determination that Bullying has Occurred
- If it is established by the relevant teacher that bullying has occurred, he/she will complete the Bullying Report – Formal Stage 1 (see Appendix 2). This is the relevant teacher’s written record of the reports, the actions taken and any discussions with those involved.
- The pupil signs Pupil Behaviour Promise 1 (see Appendix 3) which is their commitment to treating all pupils fairly, equally and respectfully. The Pupil Behaviour Promise 1 will be amended by the relevant teacher to include the names of the individual pupils concerned.
- The relevant teacher contacts the pupil’s Parent/Guardian to inform them that bullying has occurred and that Pupil Behaviour Promise 1 is in place.
- The relevant teacher emails the Principal/Deputy Principal notifying them of all incidents being investigated by alerting them to the fact that a Bullying Report – Formal Stage 1 has been completed on Aladdin.
- The relevant teacher provides a copy of the Pupil Behaviour Promise 1 to the school secretary for scanning to Aladdin.
C. Formal Stage 2 – Determination that Bullying Behaviour has Not Been Adequately and Appropriately Addressed Within 20 Days or in the Case of a Once-off Offensive or Hurtful Public Message, Image or Statement on a Social Network Site or Public Forum
- In cases where the relevant teacher considers that the bullying behaviour has not been adequately and appropriately addressed within 20 school days after he/she has determined that bullying behaviour occurred, the relevant teacher will complete Bullying Report – Formal Stage 2 on Aladdin (see Appendix 4).
- Also, cases of placing a once-off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying behaviour Formal Stage 2 and the relevant teacher will complete Bullying Report – Formal Stage 2 on Aladdin.
- The pupil signs Pupil Behaviour Promise 2 (see Appendix 5) which is their commitment to treating all pupils fairly, equally and respectfully. The Pupil Behaviour Promise 2 will be amended by the relevant teacher to include the names of the individual pupils concerned. The pupil’s Parent/Guardian and the Principal will countersign Pupil Behaviour Promise 2.
- All confirmed instances of bullying behaviour must be reported immediately to Principal/Deputy Principal via email alerting them that a Bullying Report – Formal Stage 2 has been completed on Aladdin.
- The relevant teacher provides a copy of the Pupil Behaviour Promise 2 to the school secretary for scanning to Aladdin.
- The Principal formally reports all Bullying Report – Formal Stage 2 cases to the Board of Management at each of its meetings and provides confirmation that all such cases are being dealt with in accordance with our Anti-Bullying Policy and the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (2013).
8. Intervention Strategies to Address Bullying
The following intervention strategies are used in Scoil Mhuire to address a bullying incident when it occurs:
- Teacher interviews with all pupils.
- Negotiation of agreements between pupils and following these up by monitoring progress on an informal basis or through a more structured mediation process.
- Working with the Parent/Guardian to support school interventions.
- No Blame Approach.
- Circle Time.
- Restorative Practice interviews and conferencing.
- Implementation of pupil questionnaires.
The intervention strategy selected will be dependent upon the nature of the bullying incident being addressed.
Scoil Mhuire is also committed to exploring other intervention strategies, including those suggested in Ken Rigby’s Bullying Interventions in Schools: Six Major Approaches:
- The Traditional Disciplinary Approach
- Strengthening the Victim.
- Mediation.
- Restorative Practice.
- The Support Group Method.
- The Method of Shared Concern.
Restorative Practice is an established intervention strategy in Scoil Mhuire.
9. Programme of Support for Working with Pupils Affected by Bullying
In-school supports and opportunities will be provided for pupils affected by bullying to participate in activities designed to raise their self-esteem, to develop friendships and social skills, and to build resilience. Scoil Mhuire’s programme of support for working with pupils affected by bullying draws on the following:
- SPHE lessons, Stay Safe Programme and RSE Programme
- Incredible Years Programme and the FRIENDS Programmes (National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)).
- Anti-Bullying/Friendship Week.
- Buddy systems.
- In-school counselling and psychotherapy for individual pupils.
- Whole-class interventions, e.g. Roots of Empathy.
- Social skills groups.
- Nurture Room
- Pupil Support Team.
- Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (NEPS).
- Wellbeing in Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion (Department of Education & Skills and Department of Health).
- Liaison with NEPS for advice and support.
10. Referral of Serious Cases to Tusla and/or An Garda Síochána
It is the practice of Scoil Mhuire that serious instances of bullying, where the behaviour is regarded as being possibly abusive, are referred to Tusla and/or An Garda Síochána. This practice is in line with Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017), Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (2017) and Scoil Mhuire’s Child Safeguarding Statement.
11. Supervision and Monitoring of Pupils
The Board of Management confirms that appropriate supervision and monitoring policies and practices are in place to both prevent and deal with bullying behaviour and to facilitate early intervention where possible.
12. Prevention of Harassment
The Board of Management confirms that the school will, in accordance with its obligations under equality legislation, take all such steps that are reasonably practicable to prevent the sexual harassment of pupils or staff or the harassment of pupils or staff on any of the nine grounds specified i.e. gender including transgender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community.
13. This policy and its implementation was reviewed by the Board of Management on 18 September 2018. The updated policy was ratified on this date and will continue to be reviewed on an annual basis.
14. This policy has been made available to school personnel, published on the school website and provided to the Parents’ Association. A copy of this policy will be made available to the Department and the Patron if requested.
Written notification that the review has been completed will be made available to school personnel, published on the school website and provided to the Parents’ Association. A record of the review and its outcome will be made available, if requested, to the Patron and the Department.
Monsignor Denis Lennon
Chairperson of Board of Management
18 September 2018
Dr Mags Jordan
Principal/Secretary to Board of Management
18 September 2018
| Resource | View/Download |
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Anti-Bullying Policy
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View/Download |
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2024 Annual Review Anti-Bullying Policy
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View/Download |
