St Olaf’s National SchoolRoll No: 19319 O

Principal: Gerard Murphy BalallyDriveTelephone: 295 6513 Dundrum,Web: www.stolafs.ie Dublin 16.E-mail: olaf.info@gmail.com

Anti-Bullying PolicySt. Olaf’s School aspires to creating a bullying-free environment for all students and the entire school community. Bullying is unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical conducted, by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time. We at St. Olaf’s will not tolerate bullying in any form and this policy outlines the measures we take to ensure, in so far as is possible, that our school environment is a positive one, welcoming of difference and diversity and is based on inclusivity.

1. In accordance with the requirements of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and the code of behaviour guidelines issued by the NEWB, the Board of Management of St. Olaf’s National School has adopted the following anti-bullying policy within the framework of the school’s overall code of behaviour. This policy fully complies with the requirements of the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools which were published in September 2013.

2. The Board of Management recognises the very serious nature of bullying and the negative impact that it can have on the lives of pupils and their families, and is therefore fully committed to the following key principles of best practice in preventing and tackling bullying behaviour:

A positive school culture and climate whicho is welcoming of difference and diversity and is based on inclusivity; o encourages pupils to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying behaviour in a non-

threatening environment; ando promotes respectful relationships across the school community;

Effective leadership; A school-wide approach; A shared understanding of what bullying is and its impact; Implementation of education and prevention strategies (including awareness raising

measures) thato build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils; ando explicitly address the issues of cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying including in

particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying. Effective supervision and monitoring of pupils; Supports for staff; Consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour (including use of

established intervention strategies); and On-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the anti-bullying policy.

3. In accordance with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools bullying is defined as follows:

Bullying is unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical conducted, by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time. The following types of bullying behaviour are included in the definition of bullying:

deliberate exclusion, malicious gossip and other forms of relational bullying, cyber-bullying and identity-based bullying such as homophobic bullying, racist bullying, bullying based on a

person’s membership of the Traveller community and bullying of those with disabilities or special educational needs.Isolated or once-off incidents of intentional negative behaviour, including a once-off offensive or hurtful text message or other private messaging, do not fall within the definition of bullying and should be dealt with, as appropriate, in accordance with the school’s code of behaviour.

However, in the context of this policy, placing a once-off offensive or hurtful public message, image or statement on a social network site or other public forum where that message, image or statement can be viewed and/or repeated by other people will be regarded as bullying behaviour.

Negative behaviour that does not meet this definition of bullying will be dealt with in accordance with the school’s code of behaviour.

Additional information on different types of bullying is set out in Section 2 of the AntiBullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

4. The relevant teacher(s) for investigating and dealing with bullying is (are) as follows: The individual staff member / teacher who initially is aware of a bullying concern

( normally the class teacher) The class teacher may also bring the bullying concern to the attention of the

Principal / Deputy Principal if (s)he is unable to resolve the concern or if there is a perceived physical / emotional danger to those involved.

Non-teaching staff such as secretaries, special needs assistants (SNAs), caretakers, cleaners should report any incidents of bullying behaviour witnessed by them, or mentioned to them, to the relevant teacher;

5. The education and prevention strategies (including strategies specifically aimed at cyberbullying and identity-based bullying (including in particular, homophobic and transphobic bullying) that will be used by the school are as follows:

Effective practice includes prevention and awareness raising measures across all aspects of bullying and involves strategies to engage pupils in addressing problems when they arise. In particular, such strategies need to build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils.

As self-esteem is a major factor in determining behaviour, we aim through both our curricular and extra-curricular programmes, to provide pupils with opportunities to develop a positive sense of self-worth.

Initiatives and programmes focused on developing pupils’ awareness and understanding of bullying, including its causes and effects, should deal explicitly with the issue of identity-based bullying and in particular homophobic and transphobic bullying. For example, the inclusion of LGBT posters on notice boards, discussions with parents about specific statements of welcome and respect for LGBT members of the school community, teaching the Social, Personal, Health Education (SPHE) resource, Growing Up LGBT and participating in LGBT awareness events are just some of the ways in which a school can address homophobic and transphobic bullying.

Prevention and awareness raising measures will also deal explicitly with cyberbullying. The best way to address cyber-bullying is to prevent it happening in the first place. Prevention and any awareness-raising measures will focus on educating pupils on appropriate online behaviour, how to stay safe while on-line and also on developing a culture of reporting any concerns about cyber-bullying. The school-wide approach and the role of parents is of importance in this regard. The prevention and awareness raising measures will take into account the scope for cyber-bullying to occur as a result of access to technology from within the school.

Our approach to tackling and preventing bullying will take particular account of the needs of pupils with disabilities or with SEN, will join up with other relevant school policies and supports and aims to ensure that all the services that provide for such pupils work together. Approaches to decreasing the likelihood of bullying for pupils with SEN include

o improving inclusion, o focusing on developing social skills,

o paying attention to key moments such as transitioning from primary to post-primary and

o cultivating a good school culture which has respect for all and helping one another as central.

Our prevention and awareness raising measures need to be appropriate to the type of bullying and take into account the age and gender of the pupils involved. We will work to raise the awareness of bullying so that all members of the school community understand what bullying is and how the school deals with bullying behaviour.

We hold regular staff meetings on the subject of bullying complemented by regular awareness days (bi annual) for pupils and parents, hosted by external agencies eg Zeeko, Cybersafe Ireland etc. An awareness day can help give the parents of a pupil who is being bullied the confidence to approach the school and also helps to send a clear message to the parents of a pupil who is engaged in bullying behaviour that they have a major responsibility in addressing their child’s behaviour.

Teachers can influence attitudes to bullying behaviour in a positive manner through a range of curricular initiatives. There are a number of curriculum components and programmes which are particularly relevant to the prevention of bullying and the promotion of respect for diversity and inclusiveness.

o The SPHE curriculum makes specific provision for exploring bullying as well as the inter-related areas of belonging and integrating, communication, conflict, friendship, personal safety and relationships.

o The Stay Safe programme is a personal safety skills programme which seeks to enhance children’s self-protection skills including their ability to recognise and cope with bullying.

o The Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme at Senior class level ( Rang 5&6) provides opportunities to explore and discuss areas such as human sexuality and relationships, which has particular relevance to identity-based bullying. We engage the services of trained facilitators from ACCORD in this regard and hold an information meeting for parents once every 3 years

o Various other social, health and media education programmes can further help to address the problem of bullying behaviour. For example, the Schools for Health in Ireland framework provides guidance on developing a health promoting school.

o We liaise with Cybersafe Ireland & Zeeko in the provision of in-service training for Staff and Seminars , awareness raising programmes for parents & pupils

o We are currently implementing the Appyness programme with 3rd– 6th classes and will monitor it’s effectiveness going forward.

o We engage with NEPS in the provision of Staff training in the area of Resilience, Mindfulness & Wellbeing for both Staff & pupils and encourage Staff to undertake In-service training in these areas as part of the EPV programme

o We propose to hold a Mental Health Week in the school in consultation with the PA There is space within the teaching of all subjects to foster an attitude of respect for all: to

promote the value of diversity; to address prejudice and stereotyping and to highlight the unacceptability of bullying behaviour.

o In English, there is a wide range of literature available which could be used to stimulate discussion.

o In Civil, Social and Political Education (CSPE), the interdependence of people in communities at local, national and international levels is stressed.

o In Geography and History references to colonisation,exploitation and dictatorships could be used to illustrate the negative aspect of power.

o The work could be extended into many other areas such as Art, Drama, Religious Education, and Physical Education.

Co-operation and group enterprise can be promoted through team sports, school clubs and societies as well as through practical subjects. Sporting activities in particular can provide excellent opportunities for channelling and learning how to control aggression.

6. The school’s procedures for investigation, follow-up and recording of bullying behaviour and the established intervention strategies used by the school for dealing with cases of bullying behaviour are as follows:

(i) The primary aim for the relevant teacher in investigating and dealing with bullying is to resolve any issues and to restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved (rather than to apportion blame);

(ii) In investigating and dealing with bullying, the teacher will exercise his/her professional judgement to determine whether bullying has occurred and how best the situation might be resolved;

(iii) All reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with by the relevant teacher. In that way pupils will gain confidence in ‘telling’. This confidence factor is of vital importance. It should be made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying they are not considered to be telling tales but are behaving responsibly;

(iv) Non-teaching staff such as secretaries, special needs assistants (SNAs), bus escorts, caretakers, cleaners must be encouraged to report any incidents of bullying behaviour witnessed by them, or mentioned to them, to the relevant teacher;

(v) Parents and pupils are required to co-operate with any investigation and assist the school in resolving any issues and restoring, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved as quickly as possible;

(vi) It is very important that all involved (including each set of pupils and parents) understand the above approach from the outset;

(vii) Teachers should take a calm, unemotional problem-solving approach when dealing with incidents of alleged bullying behaviour reported by pupils, staff or parents;

(viii) Incidents are generally best investgated outside the classroom situation to ensure the privacy of all involved;

(ix) All interviews should be conducted with sensitivity and with due regard to the rights of all pupils concerned. Pupils who are not directly involved can also provide very useful information in this way;

(x) When analysing incidents of bullying behaviour, the relevant teacher should seek answers to questions of what, where, when, who and why. This should be done in a calm manner, setting an example in dealing effectively with a conflict in a non-aggressive manner;

(xi) If a group is involved, each member should be interviewed individually at first. Thereafter, all those involved should be met as a group. At the group meeting, each member should be asked for his/her account of what happened to ensure that everyone in the group is clear about each other’s statements;

(xii) Each member of a group should be supported through the possible pressures that they may face them from the other members of the group after interview by the teacher;

(xiii) It may also be appropriate or helpful to ask those involved to write down their account of the incident(s);

(xiv) In cases where it has been determined by the relevant teacher that bullying behaviour has occurred, the parents of the parties involved should be contacted at an early stage to inform them of the matter and explain the actions being taken (by reference to the school policy). The school should give parents an opportunity of discussing ways in which they can reinforce or support the actions being taken by the school and the supports for their pupils;

(xv) Where the relevant teacher has determined that a pupil has been engaged in bullying behaviour, it should be made clear to him/her how he/she is in breach of the school’s anti-bullying policy and efforts should be made to try to get him/her to see the situation from the perspective of the pupil being bullied;

(xvi) It must also be made clear to all involved (each set of pupils and parents) that in any situation where disciplinary sanctions are required, this is a private matter between the pupil being disciplined, his or her parents and the school;

(xvii) Follow-up meetings with the relevant parties involved should be arranged separately with a view to possibly bringing them together at a later date if the pupil who has been bullied is ready and agreeable. This can have a therapeutic effect;

(xviii) In cases where the relevant teacher considers that the bullying behaviour has not been adequately and appropriately addressed within 20 school days after he/she has determined that bullying behaviour has occurred, it must

be recorded by the relevant teacher in the recording template at Appendix 3 (See

(xix) In determining whether a bullying case has been adequately and appropriately addressed the relevant teacher must, as part of his/her professional judgement, take the following factors into account:

Whether the bullying behaviour has ceased; Whether any issues between the parties have been resolved as far

as is practicable; Whether the relationships between the parties have been restored

as far as is practicable; and Any feedback received from the parties involved, their parents or

the school Principal or Deputy Principal; (xx) Where a parent is not satisfied that the school has dealt with a bullying

case in accordance with these procedures, the parents must be referred, as appropriate, to the school’s complaints procedures;

(xxi) In the event that a parent has exhausted the school's complaints procedures and is still not satisfied, the school must advise the parents of their right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.

7. Procedures for recording bullying behaviour

The Board of Management must ensure that the school has clear procedures for the formal noting and reporting of bullying behaviour and these must be documented in the school’s anti-bullying policy. All records must be maintained in accordance with relevant data protection legislation. The school’s procedures for noting and reporting bullying behaviour must adhere to the following:

(i) While all reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with by the relevant teacher, the relevant teacher will use his/her professional judgement in relation to the records to be kept of these reports, the actions taken and any discussions with those involved regarding same;

(ii) If it is established by the relevant teacher that bullying has occurred, the relevant teacher must keep appropriate written records which will assist his/her efforts to resolve the issues and restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved.

(iii) The relevant teacher must use the recording template at Appendix 3 to record the bullying behaviour in the following circumstances:

a) in cases where he/she considers that the bullying behaviour has not been adequately and appropriately addressed within 20 school days after he/she has determined that bullying behaviour occurred; and

b) where the school has decided as part of its anti-bullying policy that in certain circumstances bullying behaviour must be recorded and reported immediately to the Principal or Deputy Principal as applicable.

In each of the circumstances at (a) and (b) above, the recording template at Appendix 3 must be completed in full and retained by the teacher in question and a copy provided to the Principal or Deputy Principal as applicable. It should also be noted that the timeline for recording bullying behaviour in the recording template at Appendix 3 does not in any way preclude the relevant teacher from consulting the Principal or Deputy Principal at an earlier stage in relation to a case.

The school’s programme of support for working with pupils affected by bullying is as follows

Supports for pupils affected by bullying

Pupils who have been bullied may need counselling and/or opportunities to participate in activities designed to raise their self-esteem, to develop their friendship and social skills and thereby build resilience whenever this is needed.

o PIPS psychologisto NEPS psychologisto SEN team/ Drama class / Class teacher – circle time & roleplayo Social Stories

Pupils involved in bullying behaviour need assistance on an ongoing basis. For those with low self-esteem, opportunities should be developed to increase feelings of self-worth. It is, therefore, important that the learning strategies applied within the school allow for the enhancement of the pupil’s self-worth.

o Stay Safeo RSEo SPHE

Pupils who engage in bullying behaviour may need counselling to help them learn other ways of meeting their needs without violating the rights of others.

o PIPS psychologisto NEPS psychologisto SEN team/ Drama class / Class teacher – circle time & roleplayo Social Stories

Pupils who observe incidents of bullying behaviour should be encouraged to discuss them with teachers

ANTI-BULLYING CHARTER

Every pupil has the right to be free from bullying in St. Olaf's.

Our school will not tolerate any unkind actions or remarks,

even if these were not meant to cause hurt.

Any series of unkind actions or comments will be called bullying.

Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological.

Pupils: Remember your code -

Be gentle Be a friend Tell about bullying

SAY NO - GET AWAY - TELL SOMEONE

Parents: Be alert to signs of bullying - of or by your child.

Look for support.

Do not encourage your child to "give as good as you get";

We, the teachers and Staff, consider bullying to be a serious matter.

We are a "TELLING" school.

We recognise that victim and bully need help.

ADULTS MUST PROTECT CHILDREN.

This is our Charter. Let us all work together to put it into practice.

8. Supervision and Monitoring of Pupils

The Board of Management confirms that appropriate supervision and monitoring policies and practices are in place to both prevent and deal with bullying behaviour and to facilitate early intervention where possible.

9. Prevention of Harassment

The Board of Management confirms that the school will, in accordance with its obligations under equality legislation, take all such steps that are reasonably practicable to prevent the sexual harassment of pupils or staff or the harassment of pupils or staff on any of the nine grounds specified i.e. gender including transgender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community.

10. This policy was adopted by the Board of Management on 4th February 2020

11. This policy has been made available to school personnel, published on the school website and provided to the Parents’ Association, after consulting with them for their opinions / suggestions. A copy of this policy will be made available to the Department and the patron if requested.

12. This policy and its implementation will be reviewed by the Board of Management once in every school year. Written notification that the review has been completed will be made available to school personnel, published on the school website and provided to the Parents’ Association. A record of the review and its outcome will be made available, if requested, to the patron and the Department.

Signed:_____________________________Signed: ___________________________

(Chairperson of Board of Management) (Principal)

Date: ______________ Date: __________________

Date of next review: February 2021

Appendix A

Online presentations

Explaining to parents how the Anti-Bullying Campaign programme works in schools.

https://www.antibullyingcampaign.ie/teacher-training-tools

Appendix B

Guidelines for Parents / Guardians

St. Olaf’s School aspires to creating a bullying free environment for all students and the entire school community. In line with this aspiration the school community works together to support one another. However there is a realisation that unfortunately it is impossible to guarantee that no bullying is happening and there are some signs and / or symptoms that parent(s) / guardian(s) must be mindful of to ensure that if any incidence of bullying occurs it will be confronted and stopped as soon as possible. The following list makes parent(s) / guardian(s) aware of some signs and / or symptoms that could indicate a student is being bullied. These signs and / or symptoms do not necessarily mean that a student is being bullied.

However, if repeated or occurring in combination it is recommended that parent(s) /guardian(s) investigate further.

A student who has been happy at school losing interest and enthusiasm for school. This can manifest itself through a decrease in grades and overall performance in school.

Anxiety about travelling to and from school – requesting parent(s) / guardian(s) to drive or collect them from school.

Damage to bicycles or personal property, for example damage to clothes, books or loss of same.

A student who returns home from school in a very bad humour without explanation.

Mood changes, in particular before the recommencement of school, at the end of the weekend or school holidays.

Frequent minor illnesses, especially headaches and stomach aches, (difficulty in sleeping and / or not eating). These symptoms are often accompanied by mood changes that are mentioned above.

An increase in requests for money or stealing money. Unexplained cuts and / or bruises. Recurrent nightmares Truancy Enuresis Visible signs of anxiety or distress, e.g. stammering,

withdrawing, (difficult sleeping, vomiting). Reluctance and / or refusal to say what is troubling him.

First Steps (If a parent / guardian / friend notices any signs / symptoms that could indicate a possibility of bullying), it is important that investigating same does not put pressure on the student. It is recommended that the school be contacted by telephone and / or email at first. A meeting can follow this up, where necessary.

Guidelines for Students

Students should discuss any incident of bullying with their parent(s) / guardian(s) / siblings / family where possible. This

can then lead to contact being made with the school. It is often the case that students prefer to talk to a teacher / Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) about any bullying they may experience and it is important to educate all students of St. Olaf’s school that talking with a teacher or another trusted adult within the school is responsible behaviour.

It is not responsible behaviour to ignore the problem. It is important that all students of the school realise that they each have a responsibility towards their fellow students and as such they too must speak out if they see any bullying behaviour happening towards one of their fellow students. A culture of silence around this issue is not responsible behaviour.

Who to tell? Responsible Adult / Teacher / Vice Principal / Principal.

How to tell? Talk to a teacher after class/on corridor. Hand up a note with your work to the teacher. Tell your parent(s) / guardian(s) at home. Make a phone call to the school or to a teacher you get on with. Get a parent / guardian / friend to tell on your behalf.

APPENDIX C

Anti-Bullying Campaign Rationale

(Q & A)HOW TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH BULLYING IN

SCHOOLS

Q. Is school bullying too rare a phenomenon for schools to worry about it?

A. No! Research indicates that bullying is very common in schools in Ireland and around the world.  It is very damaging for pupils. Since it is so widespread Boards of Management, school principals with a duty of care in respect of pupils, and teachers who act in loco parentis, should indeed be very worried about it. All have a responsibility to do what they can to minimise bullying in their schools and deal with it effectively when it arises.

Q. Is bullying not just part of the rough-and-tumble of growing up that includes horseplay and even occasional fights, something inevitable that helps pupils to grow up and toughen up for life?

A. No! Bullying is deliberate persistent hurtful or upsetting behaviour targeted at vulnerable pupils that continues to upset and undermine them, making their school lives miserable, damaging their self-esteem and self-confidence, causing serious deterioration in their academic performance and even, perhaps years later, leading to their death by suicide. Its deliberately hurtful nature and persistent pattern make it very different from normal horseplay. Luckily, for vigilant observers these characteristics also make it recognisable.

Q. If bullying is so serious and damaging why is it still widespread in schools?

A. Bullying can be covert - as well as obvious physical bullying it can involve such subtle gestures as a look, a sharp intake of breath, a facial expression, a whispered "name-call," a change in tone or a sneer and these are difficult for teachers to detect. Even if a teacher sees one incident and deals with it, without further investigation s/he cannot conclude that there is an ongoing pattern of bullying though it may have been going on for weeks or months.  While pupils see bullying behaviour they often do not recognise it as such and do not understand the damage it can do so they are unlikely to report it.  Even if they do

recognise it there are obstacles that discourage them from reporting it, like punishment of perpetrators that can lead to fear of reprisals. 

Q. What is the most fundamental thing that targeted pupils or their parents want in bullying situations?

A. They want the bullying to stop without further negative repercussions for targeted pupils.

Q. What is the Department of Education and Skills' position on bullying?

A. On 13th September 2013 the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland wisely announced the replacement of its 1993 anti-bullying guidelines for schools with "Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools, September 2013."  This document is available in the "Teacher Training" page of our website.  It states:6.5.2. Effective practice includes prevention and awareness raising measures across all aspects of bullying. The awareness-raising sections of our website contribute to the fulfilment of these requirements. The procedures document also states: 6.8.9 School authorities must ensure that the school has clear procedures for investigating and dealing with bullying . . . and goes on to say that the school's procedures . . . . . . must be consistent with the following approach:(i) The primary aim for the relevant teacher in investigating and dealing with bullying is to resolve any issues and to restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved (rather than to apportion blame).This approach, advocated in our Anti-Bullying Campaign programme, of avoiding blame and seeking resolution, is vital if bullying situations are to be brought to an end with a "win-win" outcome.  While the latter aim seeks a change in current bullying behaviour of a pupil, the former, the awareness-raising, if carefully planned and implemented, has the potential to change both individual pupil attitudes and the whole school culture, which in turn can have a sustained impact on future pupil behaviour, minimising bullying throughout the school. The Procedures state: 1.4.1 These procedures recognise that a cornerstone in the prevention of bullying is a positive school culture and climate . . . This, then, offers the best chance of delivering a long-term benefit.  The Anti-Bullying Campaign programme is fully compatible with the D.E.S. Procedures.

Q. To achieve this, should schools not just hire in outside experts to explain about bullying?

A. No! Getting in experts can be very worthwhile, particularly at the time of launching a new school response to bullying, and experts are available to do this. However, if that intervention is not followed up by an ongoing awareness-raising programme, in the rollercoaster of pupil consciousness it can soon be forgotten.

Q. So how can this aim be fulfilled in a school?

A. To change the school culture so as to minimise bullying requires an ongoing programme of activities and events that continually raise awareness about bullying, its unacceptability and its negative consequences. Over time, these work like advertising to change attitudes and ultimately to change behaviour. Awareness also takes away perpetrators' excuses, used to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, like "I didn't know!" It can also remove bystanders' excuses like "I didn't do anything," helping them realise that everyone has a responsibility to prevent bullying and thereby encouraging them to report it when they are aware of it. One-off interventions cannot achieve this. Neither can the current S.P.H.E. and CSPE programmes on their own since they have so little time available to devote to this issue.

Q. Will pupils normally report bullying once they are aware of it and the damage it does?

A. No! They may be unhappy with the bullying but if a school deals with bullying by punishing the perpetrators pupils may be reluctant to report it. In that situation pupils are likely to side with fellow-pupils, even bullying fellow-pupils, rather than teachers out of misplaced peer loyalty. They may also be reluctant to report it out of fear of repercussions for themselves or others.

Q. Is there any way to overcome this problem?

A. Yes! A "Reform, not Blame" approach by the school avoids this problem. When alleged perpetrators are interviewed, in return for honesty and for honouring a signed promise not to re-offend, they can legitimately be offered amnesty and confidentiality (unless a legal requirement dictates otherwise or they reoffend). This approach is generally considered fair by pupils who support it and cooperate with it. Since pupils observe almost all bullying in schools and a good awareness raising programme helps them recognise it and encourages them to reject it, this approach then empowers them to report it to teachers who can then deal with it. This approach has the added benefit that there is less likely to be any resentment or backlash against either the targeted pupil or those who report the bullying though they too are protected by confidentiality. This approach has a high success rate, which fully satisfies the wishes of targeted pupils and their parents as well as the "duty of care" of their schools.

Q. Does the perpetrator not deserve punishment?

A. Pupils are children and children make "mistakes" in their dealings with other children as well as in other areas of their lives. Indeed, they may have "baggage" of their own. If perpetrators come to an understanding of the wrong they were doing and promise not to do so again and keep that promise (which is what the traditional word "repentance" means) this is the best possible outcome for all concerned. If they break their promise, however, there may be "consequences" for breach of promise and failure to comply with the school anti-bullying policy. In these circumstances perpetrators can forfeit the amnesty and the confidentiality and must accept the outcome prescribed under the school code of behaviour.  It should be noted that regardless of whether one thinks the perpetrator deserves punishment or not there are also pragmatic arguments against punishing perpetrators: if they are punished (a) other pupils are less likely to report the bullying, possibly due to misplaced loyalty or fear of repercussions for themselves or targeted pupils and (b) the bullying is more likely to either transfer outside of the school, change form e.g. to cyberbullying or focus on a different pupil, so the problem is not resolved.

 Q. Should any particular form of bullying be treated differently, e.g. cyber-bullying, homophobic bullying or racism?

A. No! Bullying is an expression of an inclination, using any focus that works, to exert a power imbalance over a targeted pupil. This is the real problem that needs to be resolved. If this inclination to bully is effectively dealt with so perpetrators come around to treating others fairly, equally and respectfully all particular expressions of it, like cyber-bullying, homophobic bullying or racism will disappear too. For this reason, any specific kinds of bullying behaviour that occur are dealt with in the same way as any others.  However, in addition to exercises that address the problem of "traditional bullying" and focus on respect and equality of worth regardless of difference, we offer anti-cyber-bullying exercises in both our primary and second level awareness-raising sections and we offer anti-homophobic-bullying exercises in our second level section.

Q. If carefully planned and implemented what impact does this kind of Anti-Bullying Campaign have?

A. A culture of The Three "R"s is developed in schools, a culture where bullying is Recognised for what it is, Rejected for what it does and Reported so it can be effectively dealt with using a "Reform, not Blame" approach. When bullying is dealt with in this way the result is a "win win" situation for the targeted pupil, the bullying pupil and observers as well as a significant reduction in bullying in schools.

Q. Would such a campaign involve much additional work for teachers already under a lot of pressure?

A. The Anti-Bullying Campaign in a school involves some work but because we have arranged it to be very efficient and effective this work is offset by savings for the school principal, deputy-principal and general

teaching staff in all schools as well as for year-heads and tutors at post-primary level. To minimise the workload we offer our Anti-Bullying Campaign programme to schools "ready-made" as a "going concern" with awareness-raising exercises that are self-explanatory even for pupils.  Teachers will normally be able to reach all classes with these exercises throughout the school year despite the constraints of their own teaching workload. Ideally, some time for coordinating the programme and resolving particular bullying situations, which are time consuming tasks, would be linked to a pastoral care or other post of responsibility.  We hope schools can prioritise an Anti-Bullying Campaign when identifying the "needs of the school" for allocation of posts of responsibility. We believe that there is nothing teachers do that is more important than creating a safe happy environment for their pupils and that a programme to deal effectively with bullying is essential if this is to be achieved. This is fundamental to the ethos of our schools and the values of our teachers as well as being enshrined in school mission statements and anti-bullying policies so it seems logical that everything that needs to be done to achieve this should be done.

Q. How can teachers set about implementing the Anti-Bullying Campaign in their schools?

A.Teachers can register on our website at www.antibullyingcampaign.ie to get access to the free resources and the guidelines for using them in English and Gaeilge (Irish).  Then, using these resources, teachers, can implement the Anti-Bullying Campaign.  We believe that once you try it and see the difference it makes to the lives of your pupils you will never want your school to be without it again.

Mary Kent & Seán Fallon.

Appendix 2

Practical tips for building a positive school culture and climate

The following are some practical tips for immediate actions that can be taken to help build a positive school culture and climate and to help prevent and tackle bullying behaviour.

Model respectful behaviour to all members of the school community at all times. Explicitly teach pupils what respectful language and respectful behaviour looks like,

acts like, sounds like and feels like in class and around the school. Display key respect messages in classrooms, in assembly areas and around the school.

Involve pupils in the development of these messages. Catch them being good - notice and acknowledge desired respectful behaviour by

providing positive attention. Consistently tackle the use of discriminatory and derogatory language in the school –

this includes homophobic and racist language and language that is belittling of pupils with a disability or SEN.

Give constructive feedback to pupils when respectful behaviour and respectful language are absent.

Have a system of encouragement and rewards to promote desired behaviour and compliance with the school rules and routines.

Explicitly teach pupils about the appropriate use of social media. Positively encourage pupils to comply with the school rules on mobile phone and

internet use. Follow up and follow through with pupils who ignore the rules. Actively involve parents and/or the Parents’ Association in awareness raising

campaigns around social media. Actively promote the right of every member of the school community to be safe and

secure in school. Highlight and explicitly teach school rules in pupil friendly language in the classroom

and in common areas. All staff can actively watch out for signs of bullying behaviour. Ensure there is adequate playground/school yard/outdoor supervision. School staff can get pupils to help them to identify bullying “hot spots” and “hot

times” for bullying in the school.o Hot spots tend to be in the playground/school yard/outdoor areas, changing

rooms, corridors and other areas of unstructured supervision.o Hot times again tend to be times where there is less structured supervision

such as when pupils are in the playground/school yard or moving from classrooms to other areas of the school.

Support the establishment and work of student councils.