Herschel Grammar School is a friendly and positive environment. Our behaviour policy is underpinned by respect. This needs to be maintained by everyone within the school community. If bullying does occur, all students should feel able to report it with confidence that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively.

What Is Bullying?

Bullying is a persistent, deliberate attempt to hurt or humiliate someone. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim.

Bullying can be:

• Emotional being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding books, threatening
• gestures), blackmail
• Physical pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence or any kind of inappropriate physical contact
• Racist racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
• Sexual unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments, sending sexual imagery
• Homophobic / biphobic / transphobic because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality
• Verbal name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing
• Cyber sending of inappropriate messages by phone, text, Instant
• Messenger, through websites and social media sites and apps, and sending offensive or degrading images by mobile phone or via the internet.
• Bullying is not a one-off falling out between friends

What support does the school offer?

• Lead with Kindness campaign for years 7, 8 and 9.
• Daily contact with form tutors
• Access to Peer Mentors
• Role of Head of Learning
• Role of The Safeguarding Team (they all wear GREEN LANYARDS – Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs Rodriguez)
• Effective behaviour policy
• Students made aware of how to report concerns (new section on the school website)
• Staff duties during break and lunch times
• Role of student leadership, including mental health champions and peer mentors
• Use of assemblies to promote awareness
• The Whisper tool on the school website
• School Nurse drop-in sessions twice every half term on Thursdays
• Effectiveness and pro-activity of Education Mental Health Practitioners

To Students...

If you feel you  -  or someone else you know - are being bullied then please tell us so that we can do something about it.

HELP ORGANISATIONS:

Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) 0808 800 5793

Children's Legal Centre 0845 345 4345

KIDSCAPE Parents Helpline (Mon-Fri, 10-4) 0845 1205 204

Parentline Plus 0808 800 2222

Youth Access 020 8772 9900

Bullying Online www.bullying.co.uk

Visit the Kidscape website www.kidscape.org.uk for further support, links and advice.