ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

The Noble Brains Academy believes that all students have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. We have an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance, and acceptance. This policy aims to produce a consistent school response to any bullying incidents that may occur.

We will not tolerate behaviour that infringes on the safety of any student. A student shall not intimidate, harass, or bully another student through words or actions. Such behaviour includes: direct physical contact, such as hitting or shoving; verbal assaults, such as teasing or name-calling; and social isolation or manipulation.

At Noble Brains Academy, bullying is unacceptable and can damage children’s individual and educational needs. We will therefore do all we can to prevent it, by developing a school ethos in which bullying is not tolerated under any circumstances (see our behaviour policy).

We aim to make all those connected with the school aware of our opposition to bullying, and we make clear each person’s responsibilities with regard to the eradication of bullying in our school.

Noble Brains Academy expects students and/or staff to immediately report incidents of bullying to the Head of School. Staff who witness such acts take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so. Each complaint of bullying should be promptly investigated. This policy applies to students on school grounds, while traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity, during the breakfast or lunch period, whether on or off campus, and during a school-sponsored activity.

To ensure bullying does not occur on school campuses, Noble Brains Academy will provide staff development training in bullying prevention and cultivate acceptance and understanding in all students and staff to build their capacity to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment.

Our teachers must discuss this policy with their students in age-appropriate ways and should assure them that they need not endure any form of bullying. Students who bully are in violation of this policy and are subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.

At Noble Brains Academy, we will:

a) Discuss, monitor and review our Anti-Bullying Policy on a regular basis.
b) Support staff to promote positive relationships, identify and tackle bullying appropriately.
c) Ensure that pupils are aware that all bullying concerns will be dealt with sensitively and effectively.
d) Ensure that pupils feel safe to learn; and abide by the anti-bullying policy.
f) Seek to learn from good anti-bullying practice elsewhere and utilises support from the local authority and other relevant organisations when appropriate.

Reporting bullying:

While on school grounds, or when traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity, and during breakfast or lunch period, whether on or off campus, our students are expected to follow the established Student Code of Conduct. This includes, but is not limited to:

Any student who engages in bullying may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion
Students are expected to immediately report incidents of bullying to their teachers or Head of School.
Students can rely on staff to promptly investigate each complaint of bullying in a thorough and confidential manner.
If the complainant student or the parent of the student feels that appropriate resolution of the investigation or complaint has not been reached, the student or the parent of the student should contact the Head of School. The school system prohibits retaliatory behaviour against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process.

Reporting bullying:

The Noble Brains Academy recognises the following three common aspects in most definitions of bullying:

We also recognise the following as Forms of Bullying:

a) Physical – by being punched, pushed or hurt; made to give up money or belongings; having property, clothes or belongings damaged; being forced to do something they don’t want to do.
b) Verbal – by being teased in a nasty way; insulted about religion or culture; called names in other ways or making offensive comments.
c) Indirect – by telling nasty stories; being left out, ignored or excluded from groups.

Preventing, Identifying and Responding to Bullying:

All staff, students and parents of Noble Brains Academy will receive a summary of this policy prohibiting intimidation and bullying: at the beginning of the school year, as part of the Student Handbook, as part of new student orientation, and as part of the school system’s notification to parents.

The School will make reasonable efforts to keep a report of bullying and the results of investigation confidential. Staff who witness acts of bullying shall take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so. People witnessing or experiencing bullying are strongly encouraged to report the incident; such reporting will not reflect on the target or witnesses in any way.

At Noble Brains Academy, we will:

Work with staff and outside agencies to identify all forms of prejudice-driven bullying.
Actively provide systematic opportunities to develop pupils’ social and emotional skills, including their resilience.
Consider all opportunities for addressing bullying including through the curriculum, through displays, through peer support, Circle Time, Pyramid Club, Playground Pals and through the School Council.
Train all staff to identify bullying and follow school policy and procedures on bullying.
Ensure that vulnerable children are supported and protected from bullying or becoming a bully.
Actively create “safe spaces” for vulnerable children.

Specific support to students:

We will:

Regularly canvass children’s views on the extent and nature of bullying.
Ensure students know how to express worries and anxieties about bullying.
Ensure all children are aware of the range of sanctions which may be applied against those engaging in bullying.
Involve students in anti-bullying activities in school.
Offer support to students who have been bullied.
Work with children who have been bullied in order to address the problems they have.

Liaison with Parents and Carers

We will:

Responsibilities:

This Policy only works if it ensures that the whole school community understands that bullying is not tolerated and understands the steps that will be taken to both prevent and respond to bullying.

It is the responsibility of:

School Governing Board to take a lead role in monitoring and reviewing this policy.
Governing Board, the Headteacher, Senior Managers, Teaching and Non-Teaching staff to be aware of this policy and implement it accordingly.
The Head teacher to communicate the policy to the school community.
Pupils to abide by the policy.

The role of the Head teacher:

a) It is the responsibility of the Headteacher to implement the school anti-bullying strategy and to ensure that all staff (both teaching and non-teaching) are aware of the school policy and know how to deal with incidents of bullying. The Head teacher reports to the governing body about the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy on request.
b) The Headteacher ensures that all children understand the definition of bullying, know that it is wrong and that it is unacceptable behaviour in our school.
c) The Headteacher ensures that all staff receive sufficient training to be equipped to deal with all incidents of bullying.
d) The Headteacher sets the school climate of mutual support and praise for success, to making bullying less likely. When children feel they are important and belong to a friendly and welcoming school, bullying is far less likely to be part of their behaviour.

The role of the teacher:

This Policy only works if it ensures that the whole school community understands that bullying is not tolerated and understands the steps that will be taken to both prevent and respond to bullying.

a) Teachers in our school take all forms of bullying seriously, and intervene to prevent incidents from taking place. They keep a record of all incidents that happen in their class and that they are aware of in the school.
b) If teachers witness an act of bullying, they do all they can to support the child who is being bullied. If a child is being bullied over a period of time, then, after consultation with the Head teacher, the teacher informs the child’s parents.
c) If, as teachers, we become aware of any bullying taking place between members of a class, we deal with the issue immediately. This may involve counselling and support for the victim of the bullying, and consequences for the child who has carried out the bullying. The teachers must spend time talking to the child who has been bullied and explain why the action of the child was wrong. They must endeavour to help the child change his/her behaviour in future.

d) If a child is repeatedly involved in bullying other children, the teachers must inform the Headteacher. We will then invite the child’s parents into the school to discuss the situation.
e) Teachers must routinely attend training, which enables them to become equipped to deal with incidents of bullying and behaviour management.
f) Teachers support all children in their class and establish a climate of trust and respect for all. By praising, rewarding and celebrating the success of all children, we aim to prevent incidents of bullying.

Monitoring and review:

This policy is monitored on a day-to-day basis by the Head teacher, who reports to governors about the effectiveness of the policy on request.

This anti-bullying policy is the governors’ responsibility and they review its effectiveness annually. They do this by examining the school’s anti-bullying logbook, and by discussion with the Headteacher.

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