Walden’s Path School Anti-Bullying Policy
At Walden’s Path school we aim:
- to provide a caring, friendly and safe environment for all our students, so that they can learn in a positive and secure atmosphere.
- to make sure that all our students are treated fairly, with respect and dignity.
- to create a trusting environment for all our students to tell a member of staff if they experience and/or witness any bullying inside or outside the school.
Definition
Bullying is when someone repeatedly and systematically is being hurt either by words or actions on purpose, by one or several persons.
Bullying can take different forms, including, but not limited to:
Verbal and emotional bullying
- Name calling, use of threatening or provocative language, making offensive remarks, starting rumours or telling lies about someone, leaving someone out on purpose, refusing to talk to someone.
Physical bullying
- Hitting, kicking, taking or hiding another’s property, making rude gestures.
Cyber bullying
- Using technology—internet, email, cell phones, social media, pictures— to hurt or harm someone else.
This could be e.g:
- Sending mean text messages
- Posting statements online that are unkind or not true
- Sending or posting pictures that are not yours to share
- Making negative comments online about someone
- Excluding others
- Agreeing with someone who posts something hurtful
In cases of bullying the School Management can be involved at any time. To the utmost consequence, the bully can be expelled from school.
Tackling Bullying
If you have witnessed bullying,
A. as a student:
- If a student witnesses bullying, we request that he or she tells one of the staff members. When staff are informed, they are responsible to react and inform administrators.
B. As a parent:
- If a parent witnesses bullying, we request that parents contact the school and inform what they have witnessed. Once informed, the school is responsible for any further actions and the involved parents will be informed.
C. As staff:
- If staff witnesses (or are made aware of bullying), they inform the involved student’s teachers. Teachers will contact the parents of the involved students and set up meetings with the parents. The School Management will be informed and involved.
Our teachers and management are involved in the mediation process between the children involved.
Parents of the involved students are contacted and invited to separate meetings. At the meetings, we will agree on actions and who is responsible for what.
Staff and administration team are informed at the relevant level. Walden’s Path School commits to involve the relevant parties. Parents of the involved students are immediately part of the process communicating in a professional and constructive manner to the parties involved.
Present policy has been approved by the Walden’s Path School Board on 1 June 2017 and will be revisited annually.