Anti-Bullying Racsim and Homophobia Policy

Anti-Bullying Racism and Homophobia Policy 2010/2011

Bourne Community College is committed to be a safe and inclusive College where everybody’s well-being is paramount.  It is only in such an environment that learning and personal development will thrive.

Behaviour that causes harm or threatens the physical or emotional well-being of members of the Bourne Community College (students, staff and parents), will not be tolerated in any form wherever it originates, be it home, college or outside school.  In this context any reported incident will be listened to, taken seriously, followed up and dealt with.

Bourne Community College realises to ignore harmful or threatening behaviour is an act of permitting it.


At Bourne Community College

we define bullying as repeated behaviour that intentionally hurts, frightens, intimidates or threatens others, so impacting on their well-being.

we define a racist or homophobic incident as any incident which is perceived to be raciest or homophobic by the victim, or another person.


Victims of Bullying

- can expect staff to listen sympathetically and privately

- can expect to have the matter followed up and dealt with

- can expect support and protection until the problem is solved


Bullies, Racists and Homophobics

- can expect to have the matter followed up with consequences for them

- will be helped to understand and change their attitude and behaviour

- can expect their parents to be informed and involved should understand it is for victims and adults to decide if the Police need to be involved.  (Causing Alarm, Harassment and Distress through bullying is an offence in Law)


Behaviour Policy

Bourne Community College, where appropriate, will act within its Behaviour Policy to impose disciplinary penalties to regulate bullying conduct of students away from school, even if the conduct originates from home.  (National Government Guidance September 2007).  This would be particularly pertinent in cases of cyber bullying.

For those parents who suspect their child is being bullied, racially or homophobically abused they should report the matter to the College.

National research surveys undertaken reveals that students are reluctant to tell.  Students SHOULD NOT think that telling parents or teachers will make it worse.  Our experience tells us that reporting matters is the best way of supporting your child and  helps us to correct any anti-social or unpleasant behaviour.

Most reported incidents are swiftly dealt with and brought to a positive conclusion.  Some issues of this nature you can appreciate are complex, involving a difficult set of circumstances to investigate and manage.  Bourne makes a pledge to act professionally and fairly with all reported incidents in the interests of all parties concerned.

We are grateful to parents for their full support in helping us to investigate and conclude matters fully.

Please emphasize to your child that they should not feel embarrassed, guilty or believe the situation will get worse.  Unless we know as parents and teachers what the problem is, we cannot begin to resolve the situation.


Types of Bullying

Physical - pushing, kicking, hitting, taking belongings or making threats of violence

Verbal - name calling, sarcasm, spreading harmful rumors or stories, cruel teasing

Emotional - excluding, tormenting, ridiculing, humiliating, threatening gesture

Racist or Homophobic - using raciest or homophobic taunts, comments, gestures or graffiti

Sexual - making or writing offensive or abusive comments, slurs or gestures

Cyber or Online*
From mobile phones - threatening or abusive use of mobile phones by phoning, texting, taking or sending films or pictures

From computers - threatening or abusive cyber (Online) conduct through emails, posting comments, pictures or films, chat rooms or forums, creating web sites.


*Cyber bullying
‘Bystanding’ - A note of caution - In cyber bullying, bystanders who react or look at bullying material can easily become perpetrators simply by passing on or showing to others images or words designed to humiliate.  Such conduct is seen as actively supporting cyber bullying by Bourne and the Police.


A Code of Conduct

- Your child should always respect others and be very careful what they say online or in texts taking care what images they send.

- Your child should not forward any rude or nasty messages or pictures that they have received about someone else as they could be assisting the bully and they could even be accused of spreading the cyber bullying themselves.  If in any doubt delete material straight away.


As a parent if you see your child is:

- withdrawing more into themselves
- feigning illness and not wishing to come to College
- losing their confidence
- less motivated than before


You should talk to someone

We would advise you to contact one of our
Student Support Managers as follows:-

Year 7 and 8         -Mrs Houghton, extension 223
Year 9                  -Miss N Baker, extension 214
Year 10 and 11     -Mrs S Hudson, extension 218

Our highly trained Student Support Team are in a good position to deal quickly with your concerns, and in any event, will liaise with your son/daughter’s Form Tutor or Teachers as appropriate.  We have 20 trained Peer Mediators who can help too.

Bourne Community College staff make a pledge to make contact within 24 hours of a reported incident, with further subsequent communication taking place.  Parents are encouraged to let the College know of further difficulties and for all parties to maintain an open dialogue in the proceeding weeks.

Parents should feel relaxed about doing this.  Nevertheless it is advisable to discuss steps with us first as many


Involving the Police?

issues can be dealt with in College and can involve our Police Liaison Officer, WPC S Pack who regularly assists us, or our community support officers, PCSO Bruce Ives or PCSO Colin Booker.

If you choose to contact the Police separately, we will support you in your decision.  However, WPC Pack asks that we point out that once it is recorded as an incident with the Police, they have no choice other than to deal with it completely - even if you change your mind.


Advice for Parents

Advice for parents of children who are bullied

- Don’t ignore the problem - talk to the teachers and work together

- Encourage your child to talk to you about his/her feelings

- Try not to over-react - it might frighten your child into silence

- Ask your child if he/she has any suggestions that would help

- Find out if your child feels safe and protected

- Take any threats of suicide or other desperate pleas seriously and seek help -children sometimes go to extremes if they are miserable

- Help your child develop strategies for dealing with and reporting bullying - Kidscape has advice on www.kidscape.org.uk

- Praise your child, tell him/her how much you love and support them

- Try to sort out the bullying at the start, as constructively as possible, with the College

- Encourage your child to develop new interests which might lead to a supportive group of friends - in College and out of College.

- Calmly ask your child if he/she can explain what has happened and why

- Find out if there are ways you can work together to stop his/her behaviour

- Explain that the bullying must stop—there is no compromise on this

- Explain how frightening the bullying is for the victim and encourage empathy

- Criticise the bullying behaviour, but don’t reject your child or label him/her as a ‘bully’ (‘What you did was wrong’ not ‘You’re a terrible person or a bully’)

- Look for good behaviour from your child and praise it

- Tell you child you know he/she can change bullying behaviour and that your child is NOT really a bully.  Be confident that your child will change

- Help your child to develop new interests and/or friends away from bullies

- Spend as much time with your child as you can, especially listening to his/her concerns.  Sometimes children bully as a way of getting attention

- Make it clear that you do not accept bullying behaviour and there will be consequences such as loss of privileges if the bullying does not stop.


Seeking Advice

The following organisations have a good
selection of current resources and links to lots of other useful groups:

Be aware that unlawful cyber bullying can and has resulted in the arrest of young people and the
confiscation of home computers.  Bourne Community College would not wish this to happen to anyone.
Please impress upon your child that he/she should ‘think before he/she acts - and be responsible’ when online or using mobile phones.


Parentline

24 hour National free phone line - 0808 800 22 22
Website - www.parentlineplus.org.uk
email support - parentssupport@parentlineplus.org.uk

Anti-Bullying Racism and Homophobia Leaflet