ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL, SCOTLAND

anti-bullying issues 

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APPROACHES TO DEALING WITH BULLYING:
SOME QUESTIONS & ISSUES

Terry Ashton, Adviser (Guidance and Careers), Aberdeen City Education Department

ETHOS AND ANTI-BULLYING APPROACHES

How specifically does the school respond to cases of bullying or alleged bullying? 

Are there documented procedures and approaches for dealing with bullying? 

Does the school respond sensitively and with understanding? 

Is this what parents and pupils experience?  How do you know? 

Does your school policy on bullying contain sufficient advice on how to deal with serious cases?  How do you know it is sufficient? 

Are complete records kept in pupil files for those who have been involved in bullying incidents? 

Does you school work early enough and closely enough with specialist support agencies in relation to incidents of bullying?  How do you know? 

Does you school encourage pupils to report instances of bullying?  How do you know whether this encouragement is effective?

Is there a climate that which actively suggests that

• every pupil has a right not to be bullied

• all forms of bullying, including non-violent ones, are unacceptable

• bullying of whatever form is not "simply part of school life"?

How can you be sure how the pupils perceive this? 

ANTI-BULLYING POLICY AND STRATEGY 

Are there clearly agreed and documented expectations for staff in respect of the care and welfare of pupils?  Does this documentation include the roles of 

• guidance teachers

• first-level guidance teachers (where appropriate)

• register teachers

• class teachers

• subject teachers? 

Do class teachers/register teachers/first-level guidance teachers "keep a watchful eye" on the pupils in their groups? 

Do they know what to look for?  How do you know?

Was the school anti-bullying policy drawn up with sufficient consultation with staff, the school board and pupils?  How do you know? 

Does the school anti-bullying policy give sufficient information on the following?  How can you be sure?

• typical forms and patterns of bullying

• ways of recognizing pupils who are being bullied but may not report it

• ways of recognizing vulnerable pupils

• how to deal with bullies

• how to deal with those being bullied

• when to refer incidents to guidance staff or senior management

• when to contact parents, and the procedures associated with this 

Are pupils asked about their experience of antisocial behaviour in a way which allows them to comment anonymously and without fear?  How do you know? 

Does the way in which the information is collected suggest that it is likely to be accurate?  How do you know? 

Is this information used effectively?  How is it used, and how do you know it is used effectively? 

MANAGEMENT OF GUIDANCE/PERSONAL SUPPORT/PASTORAL CARE

Are the school's policies on guidance/personal support/pastoral care reviewed sufficiently frequently? 

Is self-evaluation of guidance/personal support/pastoral care encouraged?  How?  Is it effective? 

Are there effective arrangements for coordinating and monitoring the guidance system/personal support/pastoral care?  How do you know? 

Do the staff involved in guidance/personal support/pastoral care operate effectively as a team rather than as independent individuals?  How do you know? 

THE PSE PROGRAMME

Is there a clear definition of the programme and the core content which will be covered at each stage? 

Are there regular opportunities for staff to evaluate the programme and to discuss methodology and good practice? 

Are learning outcomes, the programme and the essential themes known to all staff who teach PSE? 

Is the whole PSE programme coordinated by an identified member of staff? 

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Have relevant staff participated in sufficient staff development in

• developing good relationships and working with pupils

• teaching PSE

• the relationship between guidance/pastoral care and the role of the register teacher

• the role of the class teacher in primary school in pastoral care/PSE

• the role of the first level guidance teacher (where appropriate)? 

LINKS WITH SUPPORT SERVICES 

Are requests for support from, and referrals to, the support services made early enough?  How do you know? 

Are there agreed approaches between the support services and the school to aspects of pupil care and welfare? 

THE SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY

What picture do the parents have of the way in which the school deals with bullying incidents?  How do you know? 

Does the school inform itself sufficiently and often enough about parents’ views, especially with regard to pupil care and welfare?  How do parents view this and how do you know? 

Does your school report sufficiently to parents about personal and social development of pupils?  How parents view this, and how do you know? 

Are parents sufficiently well informed about which teacher/guidance teacher is responsible or their son/daughter, and whom they should contact in cases of suspected or actual bullying?  How do you know? 

Do parents see themselves as partners with the school?  How do you know? 

How involved is your school board in contributing to and being consulted about school policy? 

This page was last updated on 29 April 2009 14:41 +0100