Wellsway School will not tolerate bullying. Every member of our school has the right to come to school without fear of being threatened, intimidated, mocked or abused. We all have a responsibility to make sure that bullying is not part of life at our school.

Bullying is defined as deliberately hurtful behaviour, repeated over time, where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves. It can take many forms, but the main types of bullying are:

• physical – hitting, kicking 
• taking or damaging belongings 
• verbal – name calling, insulting, making offensive remarks 
• misuse of new technologies – sending texts on mobile phones, sending hurtful messages by email 
• indirect – spreading nasty stories about someone
• exclusions from social groups
• being made the subject of malicious rumours

Bullying can make people feel miserable and insecure. In its worst forms it can ruin people’s lives. If you see someone being bullied or know that someone is being bullied you must tell a member of staff. Not telling means that the student being bullied may continue to suffer and the aggressor may carry on, probably with other students too. People who bully need help. Wellsway School is committed to addressing this problem also.

This policy gives a clear methodology for staff to follow and the range of actions available when dealing with issues of bullying.

This policy is in place to ensure that:

• everyone in our school community understands our commitment towards tackling bullying.
• all staff know how to respond if they discover an act of bullying or if a student discloses that they are being bullied.
• parents/carers and students know how we will respond to reported bullying incidents at Wellsway.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing, Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

Further information

Anti-bullying policy (Pdf)