Respect, tolerance and empathy hold a high profile in St Helen’s, and are a frequent focus in R.E., Assembly and the day to day running of the school. Our Personal and Social Development programme is integrated throughout the curriculum, and there are a variety of support resources in place.
What constitutes bullying?
Bullying may be defined as the wilful, conscious intent to hurt, threaten or frighten someone. It can take a number of forms: physical, verbal, psychological or emotional.
Rationale
Bullying in school can only be effectively dealt with if parents, teachers and pupils work together to find a solution. It is necessary to acknowledge that bullying does exist. It should therefore consistently be given a high profile within the school where an open, caring and responsive climate should be created.
Aims
- To develop awareness that bullying is unacceptable
- To develop a shared view of bullying
- To work in partnership with parents to minimise bullying
- To encourage a climate of listening and openness
- To develop a range of strategies to deal with bullying
- To encourage a sense of shared responsibility among pupils
- To engage in conflict resolution in a restorative manner
Children are encouraged to take responsibility for others within the school and inform staff if they feel that another child has a problem. An adult presence is provided in playgrounds at break times in terms of the Schools (Safety and Supervision of Pupils) (Scotland) Regulations 1990.
All incidents of bullying are reported to the Senior Management Team and are acted upon immediately.
The recording of bullying or alleged bullying incidents are recorded electronically as part of the schools monitoring system.
