Anti Bullying Policy
Sgoil an Iochdair Anti-Bullying Policy
Introduction
All children and young people have the right to live with
out the fear of being threatened, assaulted or
harassed. No one should underestimate the impact that bullying can have on a person’s life. It can cause
high levels of distress, affecting young people’s well-being, behaviour, personal and social development.
At Sgoil an Iochdair, we are committed to supporting the development of the whole child within a
supportive, caring, happy and safe environment and have a Positive Relationships & Behaviour Policy.
Aims
The aim of this policy is to ensure that our school is a safe place for children and young people to be,
by working together as a school community, staff, parents / carers and pupils to:
▪ Prevent bullying – Promoting a positive ethos and fostering the self-esteem of young people
while ensuring a clear message that bullying will not be tolerated.
▪ Raise Awareness – of the different forms of bullying.
▪ Respond and Share Information – with clear procedures for dealing with and recording matters
of concern.
▪ Support – those experiencing bullying and those who are displaying bullying behaviour.
What is Bullying?
“Bullying is face to face and/or online behaviour which impacts on a person’s sense of physical and
emotional safety, their capacity to feel in control of their life and their ability to respond effectively to
the situation they are in.
The behaviour does not need to be repeated, or intended to cause harm, for it to have an impact.
Bullying Behaviour can be physical, emotional or verbal and can cause people to feel hurt, threatened,
frightened and left out.”
– Respect for All: The National Approach to Anti Bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People
Bullying behaviours can be face to face or online and include Emotional bulling e.g. excluding, ignoring,
insulting, Physical bullying, e.g. pushing, tripping, kicking, hitting or any use of violence, Verbal Bullying
e.g. name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing, threats, Online e.g. Sending abusive messages
or images and or taking or damaging belongings.
Bullying may be related to:
▪ Age
▪ Gender
▪ Culture
▪ Race – ethnic origin, colour or nationality
▪ Religion or belief – including lack of belief
▪ ASN or disability
▪ Appearance or health condition
▪ Home / Family circumstances
▪ Relationships
Impact of Bullying Behaviour
Bullying behaviour impacts on the wellbeing of those affected and can be a major barrier to learning
and social and emotional development. It is the responsibility of all adults in the learning setting to listen
to, respect and support any child or young person who may be experiencing bullying behaviours.
Possible alert signals for staff and parents to look out for include:
▪ Changes to behaviour
▪ Non-attendance / reluctance to attend school
▪ Withdrawal from routine activities
▪ Anxiety
▪ Depression
▪ Aggression
▪ Demonstrating bullying behaviours towards others
▪ Eating issues
▪ Self-harm and suicidal thoughts
▪ Physical changes to appearance
Prevention
At Sgoil an Iochdair we:
▪ Promote a culture where bullying behaviour is unacceptable and children, young people and staff
model positive, respectful behaviours
▪ Raise awareness through circle time, whole school assemblies, Anti-bullying week, internet safety
week, posters and buddy system
▪ Ensure appropriate supervision of areas that are high risk i.e. corridors, cloakrooms, playgrounds
Action – School Staff
The following steps may be taken if bullying is suspected or reported:
▪ A clear and precise account of the incident will be recorded
▪ All concerned will be spoken to and details recorded
▪ Parents will be informed
Action – Pupils
Pupils who experience bullying behaviour will be supported by:
▪ Offering an immediate opportunity to discuss the experience with a member of staff
▪ Offering reassurance and ongoing support including a review meeting
▪ Restoring self-esteem and confidence
Pupils who are displaying bullying behaviours will be helped by:
▪ Discussing what happened and how they became involved
▪ Establishing the wrong doing and the need to change
▪ Informing parents/carers to help change the attitude and behaviour of the child
▪ a review meeting to monitor changes
Action – Parents/ Carers
Parents/ Carers who discover their child is experiencing bullying behaviour will be encouraged to:
▪ Talk to the child about it
▪ Encourage the child to talk to a trusted adult in the school
▪ Inform the school as soon as possible
Parents/Carers who discover their child is displaying bullying behaviour will be encouraged to:
▪ Calmly talk to the child about it and try and find out why the child is doing it
▪ Ensure that the child knows that the behaviour is not acceptable
▪ Support the child to find something he/she can do well in order to help change the behaviour
Reporting and Recording Incidents of Bullying
The school will ensure that all pupils know how important it is to report incidents of bullying that they have witnessed or suffered.
The school will:
▪ provide pupils with opportunities to communicate their concerns
▪ ensure staff, pupils and parents work in partnership
Consequences
▪ See Positive Relationships and Behaviour Policy.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Review
The school will review this policy regularly to assess its’ effectiveness.
Updated: September 2025 Next review: August 2026
