Author: 1211817

Woodlands Community Primary School

Bullying
What is it?
What should I do about it?
What is the school doing about it?

Some ideas to help parents and children to understand bullying, its effects and how we can try to prevent it.

What is bullying?
Bullying is the persistent, wilful and conscious desire to hurt, threaten and frighten another person.
What does the school do to prevent it?
At Woodlands we have put into place many different strategies to prevent bullying, some we are still developing.
Curriculum
The children study personal and social education and as part of this they get to talk openly about bullying and the things they can do to prevent it. Our police liaison officer reinforces this message through organised talks.
Assemblies
Many of our Assemblies deal with issues around bullying. We try to involve the children in leading these Assemblies.
Anti-Bullying Week
We hold Anti-bullying week annually where the focus is around issues to do with bullying.
Circle Time
This is a chance to discuss concerns with the children and the teacher openly in an atmosphere of trust and security.
Suggestion Box
Each class in KS2 has a box and bullying slips that can be completed in confidence for the teacher to read. Any concerns can be discussed as necessary.
Designated Playground Areas
We have areas of the playground designated for different types of activity. This helps children to find others with similar interests and to feel unthreatened.
Drama
Children are encouraged to act out and write about bullying scenarios and their solutions, in their English lessons.
Buddies
We have selected and trained playground buddies. These children will provide an extra measure of support for victims.
Red

Red Card, Yellow Card
We have introduced a card system on the KS2 playground. Any child caught bullying will be given a red card and will be sent straight to the Head Teacher. KS1 children have to spend time in the ‘Time In’ room if they are caught bullying.
Parents will be informed in the event of children found bullying.
The most important thing is that adults in school are willing to listen and find out exactly what has been going on.
Any child who has been found to be a bully will be monitored as carefully as possible and action taken where necessary.
We also run anger management groups and social skills groups to help children resolve any issues.
Pastoral time is given to the victims of bullying as necessary.
Advice to Children
There are 4 types of bullying:
Physical—hitting, kicking, taking belongings
Verbal—name calling, insulting, racist remarks
Indirect—spreading nasty stories about someone, excluding someone from social groups
Cyber—use of e-mail or text to harass an individual
Children are encouraged to speak out and to:
Challenge the person doing the bullying ‘I don’t like that’
Walk away from the incident
Tell a friend
Tell a teacher assistant or meals supervisor
Tell a teacher
Tell a parent
Talk about it in circle time
Leave a message in the Suggestion Box in your classroom
Not be a bystander to any form of bullying.

If you see somebody else being bullied you should:
Challenge the bully if you feel able. ‘I don’t like what you are doing’.
Be friends to the victim. Let them play with you.
Tell a teacher assistant or meals supervisor.
Tell a teacher.
Tell a parent.
Talk about it in circle time without naming individuals.
Leave a message in the Suggestion Box.
Advice to Parents
If you think your child is being bullied, find out exactly what has been happening, by whom and when it has been happening.
Encourage your child to take action themselves using the list mentioned in ‘Advice to Children’.
If they feel unable to do this, talk to the class teacher as soon as possible or if really serious talk to the Head Teacher.
Don’t encourage your child to fight back as this may end up with them getting into trouble as well.
Save any messages that are sent as evidence of bullying.