Every young person in The Robert Burns Academy should experience an education free from bullying behaviour.

Respect is one of The Robert Burns Academy’s core values and we ensure that all pupils feel respected and included in school.

The Robert Burns Academy is committed to creating an environment that:

  • Considers bullying behaviour unacceptable
  • Listens to the views of the young people
  • supports those that have displayed and experienced bullying behaviour
  • Establishes clear procedures for dealing with bullying behaviour
  • Takes all incidents of bullying behaviour seriously
  • Upholds our school values of achievement, respect, responsibility, teamwork and equality

 

What is bullying behaviour?

Bullying is hurtful or unkind behaviour which is deliberate and can be repeated. It can be carried out by an individual or a group of people towards another individual or group, where these individuals hold more power than those being bullied. It is behaviour that leaves people feeling helpless, frightened, anxious, depressed, demeaned.

 

Bullying behaviour can take several forms:

  • Emotional-e.g. excluding, ignoring
  • Physical-e.g. pushing, kicking
  • Verbal-e.g. name calling, teasing
  • Cyber-e.g. text messaging, social media misuse

Bullying can be:

  • Homophobic-e.g. taunts about sexuality
  • Racist-e.g. racial taunts, graffiti
  • Gender-e.g. sexist bullying
  • Appearance-e.g. teasing
  • Disability-e.g. name calling
  • Gender identity-e.g. transphobic bullying

 

Why is it important to respond to bullying behaviour?

  • Bullying behaviour is never acceptable
  • It is not a normal part of growing up
  • No one deserves to be at the receiving end of bullying behaviour
  • All involved require support

 

Reporting bullying

If a young person is being bullied they are encouraged not to retaliate but to tell someone they trust about it such as a friend, family member or trusted adult. They are also encouraged to report any bullying incidents in school.

 

Who can help you?

All staff will take reports of bullying behaviour seriously. You can approach any of the following people:

  • Class teacher
  • Guidance teacher
  • Depute Head Teacher
  • Head Teacher
  • Youth workers
  • School nurse
  • Support staff (classroom assistant, janitor, librarian etc.)
  • Campus police officer

 

How are we trying to prevent bullying behaviour in The Robert Burns Academy?

  • Focus on anti-bullying during assemblies, PSE programme, whole school events
  • Monitoring of playground, corridors during interval and lunchtime and before school starts
  • Restorative approaches are embedded in our practice to support young people who have experience or displayed bullying behaviour

 

Organisations that can help:

Respectme: www.respectme.org.uk

Childline: www.childline.org.uk 0800 1111

KIDSCAPE: www.kidscape.org.uk

Bullying online: www.bullying.co.uk

LGBT Youth Scotland: www.lgbtyouth.org.uk