"Beating the bully" leaflet

A document for the children entitled ‘Beating the Bully', one version for Middle & Senior School, and a simpler version for Pre-Prep School children, is posted up in prominent positions around the school. Pupils may also obtain a copy to keep or take home, either by asking at the school office, or by helping themselves from a supply pinned in a pocket on a noticeboard in the Sports Hall and Clock Block lobby areas.

Beating the Bully

At Pennthorpe we believe that behaving considerately towards one another is essential for a happy school.

Everyone has a right to be treated with respect by everyone else.

We expect all members of our school to show concern for one another and to treat each other with sensitivity, consideration and tolerance.

The actions of a bully within our school would destroy its happy and secure atmosphere, so we are determined to have a policy that will deal with bullying effectively if it arises.

What is bullying?

Bullying is a deliberate desire to hurt, threaten or frighten someone, not just once, but repeatedly over a period of days or weeks.

• Bullying may be physical (e.g. kicking, pushing, barging, pinching etc.).
• Or it may be verbal (e.g. insulting, teasing, threatening, using abusive language etc.).
• Or it may be mental (e.g. excluding someone from games, interfering with their property etc.).

If a person feels threatened or frightened to such an extent that they no longer feel safe or happy at school., then bullying has taken place and it is up to all of us to stop it.

Where can bullying take place?

Absolutely anywhere, although the one thing you can be completely sure of is that the bully won't do it when an adult is watching.

Bullying can happen in the playground, in the changing rooms, in the corridor between lessons, in the lunch queue, anywhere really as long as there isn't a teacher to see what's going on.

What do we do to stop it from happening?

Well, as a school we make it absolutely clear that bullying is wrong.

The Pennthorpe community is guided by Christian principles of tolerance, sensitivity and fair play.

The unfairness of bullying is something we talk about often in Chapel, in Form Tutor periods and elsewhere.

So nobody at Pennthorpe has the slightest excuse to pretend that they ‘did not' know' that bullying is wrong or that we will not put up with it.

What do I do if I'm being bullied?

TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT IT

Sometimes, by ignoring the bully or by refusing to show your fear or your distress, or perhaps even by confronting the bully and telling him or her what you think, you may be able to stop it yourself.

But even if you think you may be able to handle the situation yourself, it is always, always, always best to talk it over with someone you can trust first.

A member of school staff is an obvious choice (any member of staff, it doesn't matter who, because they all understand about bullying). Or your parents, or your brother or sister, or a school prefect, or maybe even just discuss it with a friend. Just talking about it, discussing strategies to deal with it, can be a huge help.

If you don't feel you can talk about it, you could always write your experiences and thoughts down and pass them on to an adult.

Or if you want to talk to someone outside school and family you can always contact Childline on 0800 1111.

The important thing is to let someone else know what you're going through.

But won't it make things worse if I tell?

That's what victims of bullying always fear, and that's why many bullies are allowed to get away with it for far too long; their victims are frightened to tell because they fear it will make things even worse.

Of course, that's exactly what bullies want their victims to think, in fact it's what they absolutely rely on them to think.

So don't let anybody, threatening bully or well-meaning friend, persuade you to keep quiet about being bullied because ‘you'll only make it worse if you tell'.

You won't make it worse. By talking to someone, particularly an adult, about it you'll be taking the first major step towards making it much, much better, and eventually making it go away altogether.

Whose responsibility is it to stop bullying at Pennthorpe?

It's everyone's responsibility; teachers, parents and pupils.

If we all make it absolutely clear, by what we say and what we do, that we won't put up with bullying in this school, then we won't have to put up with it!

Remember, bullying is wrong.

Don't put up with it.

Conclusion

It is expected that children, parents and staff will combine to make this policy work. Its successful implementation will ensure a happy and productive environment in which to work and play and the school will be recognised as a caring community where everybody strives to give positive esteem to all.