Policies

SAFE SCHOOL POLICY
BULLYING POLICY
MOBILE PHONES AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

SAFE SCHOOL POLICY

St Edmund's College: Safe School Policy

Our College seeks to recognise and affirm each student's and staff's worth, dignity and vocation, therefore bullying has no place at St Edmund's College.

A Safe School means:

  • Everyone is valued and respected for who they are. People's needs are recognised and respected.
  • Everyone experiences being part of a safe school, moving about the school grounds freely without worrying about threats, put-downs and violence.
  • Everyone feels cared for, connected, worthwhile and purposeful.
  • Acts of kindness and positive regard within a safe school are the norm. Acts of cruelty are deviant and acted upon immediately.
  • The school community will band together and take a stand against Bullying.
  • Bullying is named, identified and acted against immediately and strongly.
  • The school community is inclusive, healthy, loyal, tolerant of differences and supportive of each member.

The school has a Safe School Policy which is accessible, clear, owned by the staff and students alike and implemented.

The Safe School community helps develop healthy and confident individuals who understand and show compassion, cooperation, caring and fair play in human interactions.

What is bullying?

  • Bullying is a social problem.
  • Bullying involves a desire to hurt, intimidate, and put down a person.
  • Bullying causes a person to feel uncomfortable or threatened, or to become physically hurt.
  • Power imbalances underpin all incidents of verbal, physical and emotional abuse as well as gender and racially based harassment and violence.
  • For more information on this topic please see: www.bullying.co.uk


Examples of bullying

Verbal bullying:

Insults; name-calling, spreading malicious rumours, anonymous phone calls, persuading another person to unfairly criticise or insult someone.

Physical bullying:

Hitting punching, shoving, throwing things, pushing, removing and hiding belongings, kicking, spitting, poking, threatening to assault, pulling by clothing, menacing stares, obscene or threatening gestures, surrounding a person so he cannot get away.

Relational bullying:

Forming coalitions against someone, excluding, persuading others to exclude.

Social/gender based bullying:

Bullying based on gender, race, religion, disability or social class, includes sexual or racial harassment, derogatory language, put-downs and name-calling based on the person's background or orientation

Electronic bullying:

Offensive messages, threats, name-calling through email, internet, mobile phones.


The Bullies and The Bullied:

Bullying can lead to the bullied person:

  • Feeling uncomfortable, powerless, frightened, depressed, helpless, isolated and stressed.
  • Finding it hard to concentrate, sleep, work
  • Displaying school avoidance or refusal
  • Experiencing social isolation and
  • Experiencing Clinical Depression

Bullies (those who repeatedly bully) are not 'cool' people, they are insecure and can:

  • Become bullies as adults
  • Have low self-esteemn
  • Suffer poor relationships with others
  • Have personality problems as they get older
  • Have trouble finding a job and
  • Have higher rate of criminal convictions

What happens at St Edmund's College if you are involved in bullying? See flowchart over page for actions and consequences.

Safe School Procedure

Level One-Minor Act of Bullying

  • Report bullying to teacher or Year Coordinator
  • Both parties (bully & bullied) will be involved in mediation.
  • The tutor of both parties is informed of this outcome
  • The bully is warned that if another incident occurs, then his parents will be contacted.
  • A record of this is kept electronically which is accessible to all staff.
  • The victim is encouraged to 'check in' with his Year Coordinator on the outcome and the bully is informed that this is happening.

Level Two-Repeated or Serious Act of Bullying

  • Parents of Bully are called in to meet with Year Coordinator and Tutor.
  • Parents and bully are advised that a repeated offence will see the Bully move onto level three.
  • Other options may be considered-counselling, further mediation, detention, loss of privilege.
  • The victim's parents are contacted to inform them of what action has taken place in regard of the bully.
  • A record of this is kept electronically which is accessible to all staff.
  • The victim is encouraged to 'check in' with the Director of Student Welfare and Year Co-ordinator.

Level Three-Repeated or More Serious Acts of Bullying

  • Year Coordinator refers the matter to the Deputy Headmaster or Director of Student Welfare.
  • The bully is suspended for a minimum of three school days.
  • The bully and his parents meet with the Deputy Headmaster or Director of Student
  • Welfare and conditions are set down in regard to re-enrolment.
  • The Director of Student Welfare informs the victim and his parents of the action taken.
  • A record of this is kept electronically which is accessible at the discretion of the Director of Student Welfare or the Deputy Headmaster.

Level Four-Repeated or Major Act of Bullying

  • The Deputy Headmaster suspends the bully and consults with the Headmaster in regard to bully's enrolment status.
  • The bully's parents are informed of this process and will be called in for an interview with either the Deputy headmaster or the Headmaster.
  • The Deputy headmaster informs the victim and his parents of the action taken.
  • The Headmaster informs staff of the outcome.
  • Report bullying to teacher or Year Coordinator
  • Both parties (bully & bullied) will be involved in mediation.
  • The tutor of both parties is informed of this outcome
  • The bully is warned that if another incident occurs, then his parents will be called

BULLYING POLICY

POLICY FOR THE PREVENTION OF BULLYING

Affirmation

Bullying has no place in the College Community

Definition

At St Edmund's College, bullying is defined as the action of a student who atttempts to exercise an improper authority or influence over another by intimidation, threatened or actual physical violence, humiliation, racial vilification, the use of obscene or vulgar language or the violation of the victims right to security of property or person.

Rationale

Our College seeks to affirm each person's worth, dignity and vocation. Bullying strikes at the basis of these values and prevents students reaching for excellence in every dimension of life. Students are entitled to receive their education free from humiliation, oppression and abuse. Bullying effects everyone, not just the bullies and their victims. It also effects those who may witness violence and intimidation of the victim. It can damage the atmosphere of the class and even the climate of the school. Bullying is the misuse of power, position and privilege. It is done to intimidate, coerce, and frighten and to control.

Aims of the Policy

Being committed to the care and welfare of all our students, the College expects the policy to:

  • Counter views that bullying is an inevitable part of school life;
  • Provide a safe, happy and positive learning environment for our students and staff;
  • Create a supportive climate and to break down the code of secrecy that protects the bully;
  • Provide suitable counselling services for both the bully and the victim;
  • Provide a physical environment which engenders good behavioural patterns;
  • Move beyond a crisis management approach to the creation of an environment that is free of abuse.

MOBILE PHONES AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT/a>

Introduction
It is recognised that mobile phones are a useful communication tool for students. However inappropriate use can cause problems in the school environment.

Electronic Equipment Policy
The college takes no responsibility for electronic devices such as mobile phones, CD and DVD players, MP3s and USB memory devices brought to school by a student.  They are the responsibility of the individual. 

Mobile Phone Policy
The college discourages students from bringing mobile phones to school.  If students bring mobiles they may be used at recess and lunch for brief and urgent calls only.  At all other times phones must be switched off and placed in a locker for safety. .  They are not to be used as a calculator or stopwatch and are not to he heard or sighted during class. Additionally, mobile phones are not to be taken into examination venues.

Mobile phones are sometimes used to harass other students, particularly through text messaging.  Cases of this will be treated very seriously as part of the College Code of Conduct.

Taking photos or video recording with a mobile is not permitted on school premises or at any school function.  If students are found to be using the mobile in this way they are to be sent to the Director of Pastoral Care.

Other Electronic Equipment
This includes CD, DVD players, MP3, Ipods, USB storage devices.

Policy
For most cases it is inappropriate for students to be listening to music while at school except in their free time at recess and lunch, when the use of earphones would be acceptable.

No earphones are to be worn in class.  If a teacher decides that music is appropriate as background to an activity then the teacher will organise the music.

CD, DVD, MP3 or Ipods players and portable storage devices USB sticks must not be taken into examination venues.

Portable storage devices may only be used in compliance with the St Edmund's College computer policy.

Consequences
When mobile telephones and any portable electronic equipment is used inappropriately staff may confiscate and pass the item (labelled with students name) onto the appropriate Year Co-ordinator.  The teacher confiscating the item bears responsibility whilst the item is in their possession.  The same process for inappropriate use of mobile phones applies to electronic devices as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.

30 October 2006