Preventing bullying in schools in Hammersmith and Fulham

Preventing bullying in schools in Hammersmith and Fulham

Information for parents and governors

The government has made tackling bullying in schools a key priority and believes that it should not be tolerated in any way. The recent Single Equality Bill makes it illegal for people to be  treated differently. All difference must be celebrated in communities. Schools have been tasked through the Ofsted criteria (2012) to ensure the emotional and physical safety of all their pupils and staff, at nursery, primary and secondary level.

What is bullying?
The Anti Bullying Alliance defines bullying as ‘The intentional hurting of one person by another, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It is usually repetative or persistent, although some one off attacks can have a continuing harmful effect on the victim.’ It can be directly physical, and or verbal, or indirectly verbal such as intimidation through gesture, ignoring, spreading malicious rumours and excluding a person from a group. It can also take place through new media technology, mobile phones, face book, and the internet.

What signs should I look for in my child’s behaviour if I think they might be being bullied?
If you suspect that your child is being bullied- perhaps by people in school where they play, or through messages sent by e mail, mobiles or social media, you may see these signs:

• Showing stress, being moody, silent, crying, or bullying a younger friend or sibling
• Making excuses to miss school, stomach complaints, headaches
• Seems upset using the internet/mobile, or changes behaviour-does not want to join the same friendship group
• Sleeps badly, changes eating habits, has bruises or scrapes, has torn clothes, school things broken or missing
• School work levels begin to go badly

There could be a number of reasons for this behaviour, so you need to ask yourself could there be anything else bothering your child such as a change in family circumstances, a relative dying, or a new sibling.

What should you do if you suspect bullying?
If the bullying is somehow connected to school it is important to contact them immediately. Schools have a key role to play, and they need to know the issues. Keep in touch with your child and the school, it is hugely important that those closest to your children are able to support them. If you need to talk to someone outside school the following agencies can be helpful:

• Family Lives (previously Parentline Plus) 0808 800 2222 immediate support 24hrs a day, seven days a week.
• Kidscape: 08451 205 204 Mon to Tues 10am-8pm, Wed to Fri 10am-4pm
• Advisory Centre for Education: 0808 800 5793 Mon-Fri 9am -5pm

How can schools help?
All schools are aware of the need to keep pupils and staff physically and emotionally safe. They are expected to have an Anti Bullying policy regularly updated and reviewed by pupils and staff. This policy outlines guidelines in reporting and preventing bullying incidences in schools, and should be available for parents and governors.

In this borough all schools are supported in preventing bullying by being networked to the Anti Bullying Alliance www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/ they also have access to the borough’s Bullying Prevention Strategy (2011) which provides guidelines into writing an anti bullying policy as well as resources and information for teaching staff, parents and pupils. The charity Stonewall www.stonewall.org.uk/ has recently contacted all schools in the borough with information about their  ‘School Champion’ programmes and ‘Different families’ resources.

If you want to contact someone in the borough who do you contact?
It is always preferable to raise your concerns with your child’s school initially. If you later would like to discuss these with a person in the borough please contact:
School Improvement and Standards
T: 0208 753 2884