What is Bullying?

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power or strength. It includes a wide range of behaviour whether verbal, written, physical or social targeting a person or property.

FORMS OF BULLYING

• Physical violence such as hitting, pushing or spitting at another pupil.
• Interfering with another pupil’s property by stealing, hiding or damaging it.
• Using offensive names when addressing another pupil.
• Teasing or spreading rumours about another pupil or his/her family.
• Belittling another pupil’s abilities and achievements.
• Writing offensive notes or graffiti about another pupil.
• Excluding another pupil from a group activity.
• Ridiculing by way of speaking or personal mannerisms. Misusing technology (internet or mobiles) to hurt or humiliate another person.

BCM Arya Aims:

1. To promote a secure and happy environment that is free from threat, harassment and any type of bullying behavior.
2. To increase the awareness of bullying behavior in the school community as a whole.
3. To devise school based measures to prevent and deal with bullying behaviour.
4. To inform pupils and parents about the expectations of school and to foster a productive partnership which helps maintain bully free environment.
5. To make staff aware of their role in fostering knowledge and attitudes that will be required to achieve the above aims.

Responsibilities of Stake Holders

 Student Responsibilities

a. The target

• To report an incident to a responsible adult.
• Not to fight back or deal with the situation without the help / advice of an adult.

b. The bully

• To stop bullying.
• To try to imagine how they would feel if the tables were turned.

c.   All

• Report all bullying incidents to an adult.
• Support the victim.
• Avoid being a ‘passive bully’ by watching or laughing while another person does the bullying.

Staff responsibilities

• To treat all reports of bullying seriously.
• To listen to all parties involved in incidents.
• To investigate thoroughly
• To take action themselves and refer the matter to anti bullying committee.
• To record all incidents.
• To promote the range of teaching and learning styles and strategies which challenge the bullying behavior.
• To foster the values of the school in students by giving examples.
• To assist all students to understand their responsibilities through support club and assemblies.

Responsibilities of Parents

• Watching for signs of distress or unusual behaviour in their children, which might be the evidence of bullying.
• Advising their children to report any bullying to a member of Staff/School Counsellor /their class teacher and explain them the implications of unchecked bullying.
• Advising their children not to retaliate violently to any form of bullying.
• Being sympathetic and supportive towards their children, and reassuring them that appropriate action will be taken;
• Keep a written record of any reported instances of bullying.
• Informing the school of any suspected bullying, even if their children are not involved.

Responsibilities of All:

• Everyone should work together to combat and eradicate bullying.
• Within the school community
• Pastoral provision
• Classroom management
• Guidelines for records and sanctions

Reporting procedures for Students:

Whom to tell?

•  Parents, teachers
• Anti-Bullying Committee Members
• Friends who can speak on your behalf

How to tell ?

• Direct approach to a teacher.
• Make a phone call to the school counsellor or to a trusted teacher in the school.
• Email to the school (bcmeducation@gmail.com)
• Drop in Anti-bullying Complaint Boxes
• Trusted friend to tell on your behalf.
• Parents can inform the school.
• Witnesses can inform appropriate person.

 It is important to note that records related to the incidents of bullying and actions taken to resolve them will be preserved for future references and are kept confidential.

The policy was adopted by Board of Management on 22nd July 2016.

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF STAFF

Workshops, Awareness Sessions, Induction Programmes are organized by School Psychologist Mrs. Navpreet Bhathal to sensitize staff members for prevention of bullying and reporting bullying incident within the classrooms and playground. Complaint boxes and Anti-Bullying boxes are also installed at different locations. Review of the bullying policies is done twice a year, feedback is also collected from the disciplinary incharges to take appropriate action. Four full time counsellors are appointed for Primary, Middle and Senior sections to resolve the issues of bullying within the time framed.

Full time School Psychologist is a part of Anti-Bullying Committee along with Medical Officer and members of Parent Teacher association.

All documentation regarding bullying incidents is retained securely with the school psychologist.

Anti Bullying Committee Members