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ANTI-BULLYING POLICY
ANTI-BULLYING POLICY
As a Catholic school educating in the Marist tradition, the College aims to provide a safe and secure school that is free from discrimination and intimidation. The College seeks to reinforce the values of care, consideration and respect for others. Students are expected to be witnesses to these Christian values both at school and within the broader community. The Cerdon College community takes the view that any form of bullying or harassment is unacceptable. Bullying is a breach of the School’s code of rights and responsibilities as stated in the Student Welfare Policy.
The College aims to create an environment of understanding and cooperation in which victims of bullying and bystanders are empowered to seek help. This document provides information and strategies that the College uses to address the issue of bullying.
What is bullying?
Bullying is any wilful, conscious behaviour intended to hurt another person, either physically or emotionally. Bullying may take many forms and can include, verbal, non-verbal and physical bullying, victimisation, exclusion of others, interfering with a person’s property and bullying through the use of technology.
Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm.
It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening.
Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert).
Bullying behaviour can be verbal, non-verbal, physical, sexualised, discriminatory, inappropriate communication using technology and exclusionary.
Bullying behaviour is repeated over a period of time, however, Conflicts or fights between students and single incidents are not defined as bullying.
Bullying behaviour is not:
children not getting along well
a breakdown of a friendship
a situation of mutual conflict (e.g. disagreements)
single episodes of nastiness
random acts of aggression, cruelty or intimidation
isolated incidents of conflict separated by many months or years does not constitute a pattern of bullying behaviour.
Whilst the behaviours above do not meet the definition of bullying, any poor or anti-social behaviour is unacceptable and will be responded to appropriately.
[taken from CSPD Bullying of Students – Prevention and Response Procedure]
Why isn’t bullying tolerated at Cerdon College?
As a caring Catholic community the College:
expects a high standard of behaviour at all times.
encourages and positively reinforces behaviour which is courteous and considerate.
is committed to striving to provide a safe and caring environment for everyone, where the right of every person to be free from all forms of bullying is observed.
Why is Bullying a serious issue?
Bullying is not acceptable. As a student of Cerdon College, it is not only your right not to be bullied, but your responsibility to report bullying, whether it happens to you or to someone else.
Who are the bullies?
Anyone can be a bully. We all have the capacity and, occasionally, the inclination to hurt others.
Any person who wilfully hurts someone else by causing either physical or emotional pain is a bully. Some bullies do the hurting themselves, some are ringleaders and some are members of a group. Often bullies justify their behaviour by saying they were only teasing another or having fun. If the person being teased does not like it, or want it, and yet others persist with it, then it is a clear case of bullying.
What can you do if you are bullied?
As the victim of bullying, you can:
tell the bully to stop.
leave the area and go directly to tell a teacher.
talk about it with your friends or family.
seek advice from other students, your SRC representative or the College prefects.
seek advice from the many adults at school who want to help you. You can talk to your teachers, your Guidance Coordinator, the College Counsellor or an Assistant Principal.
It is important not to retaliate by becoming a physical or verbal bully yourself.
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