Buckler’s Mead Academy promotes a safe learning environment where everyone feels able to enjoy and achieve and where success is recognised and rewarded.
We believe that for everyone to fulfil their potential, Buckler’s Mead Academy should be a place where students, staff, families and other visitors are made to feel welcome and comfortable, where everyone is treated with respect.
We believe that all children and young people have the right to protection from harm, neglect and abuse and that their well-being is of paramount importance.
Buckler’s Mead Academy aims to ensure good relationships between all members of its community and that learning and personal development takes place in a climate of trust, safety and confidence.
The academy has a system of rewards, which aims to motivate and encourage students as well as helping to build individual self-confidence and self-esteem. Buckler’s Mead Academy values everyone’s unique contribution to our community.
Everyone has a responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the well-being of all students and all staff have a duty of care to ensure our students are protected from harm.
Definition of Bullying
‘A persistent, deliberate attempt to hurt or humiliate someone.’
There may sometimes be a misunderstanding about the meaning of the term ‘bullying’. One-off incidents, whilst they may be very serious and must always be dealt with, do not fall within the definition of “Bullying’.
Types of Bullying
There are various types of bullying, but most have three things in common:
There are various forms of bullying which can include:
The lives of students who are bullied are made miserable; they may suffer injury, they may attend erratically, they may lose self-confidence, they may underachieve educationally and socially. Many of the outward signs of bullying can be the same as other indicators of abuse such as:
If unchecked, others may come to see bullying behaviour as acceptable within the academy. It is not unknown for victims to become bullies of younger or more vulnerable students than themselves. Bullying can and frequently does have long term effects on victims which may impact on their adult lives.
How do we prevent bullying at Buckler’s Mead Academy?
The following are the types of activities that take place at Buckler’s Mead Academy to help prevent bullying:
• Thoughts for the week activities and assemblies
• Character education opportunities
• Anti-Bullying Week annually in November.
• Personal Development lessons, covering a range to relevant topics
• Information and support on cyber bullying and internet safety
• Academy Voice Opportunities
• 3R’s conduct displayed in each classroom
• Parent information events/information
• Staff training and development for all staff
What to do if you think you are being bullied?
The first thing to do is tell a responsible adult that you trust such as a teacher, teaching assistant, learning mentor or parent/carer. The staff at the Academy will always take you seriously and sort out the problem. You can always let someone in the Academy know by reporting to student support staff or using the post box in student support.
If you see someone being bullied be a good friend to them and encourage them to do the right thing by telling an adult. If they are too scared then you should tell a responsible adult immediately. Never join in! If you are not sure, speak to a responsible adult so that they can find out what is going on.
How can parents/carers help with this?
If parents/carers are aware that their child is being bullied, then they should contact their Form Tutor or Year Co-ordinator immediately
Parents should encourage their child to tell a teacher and not retaliate (for example, fight back or say nasty things).
Parents should keep in contact with the academy about any bullying issues that they are aware of.
Help
You are not alone, talk to someone if you are being bullied.
There are lots of people who want to help. Here are just a few of them:
Don’t want to talk to someone you know?Try:
Useful Links
Anti-bullying Alliance (ABA) – www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/ - Brings together more than 65 organisations with the aim of reducing bullying and creating safer environments in which children and young people can live, grow, play and learn.Childnet International – https://www.childnet.com/ - The UK’s safer internet centre.Childline – www.childline.org.uk/ - Childline provides useful information and support for children who affected by bullying. Children can ring their free phone number 0800 11 11 for counselling support.