Anti-Bullying
Bullying is defined “Repeated negative behaviour that is intended to make others feel upset, uncomfortable or unsafe.”
The main types of bullying are:
Verbal bullying can take place face to face or as cyberbullying, which is bullying through the use of text messages, social media or email. People may become victims of bullying as a result of their gender, race, religion, appearance, sexuality, disability, economic status or for other reasons.
Identifying the Signs of bullying
Students who are being bullied may show changes in their behaviour, such as becoming shy and nervous, feigning illness, taking unusual absences or clinging to adults. There may be evidence of changes in work patterns, lacking concentration or truanting from school. STUDENTS ARE ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED TO REPORT BULLYING AT NUNTHORPE ACADEMY.
Procedures for reportings
Any student who feels that they are being bullied or who witnesses bullying, should report this to their tutor or other member of staff of their choice. If they are too scared to tell a member of staff or to speak to another adult on their own, they should ask a friend to go with them. The student could also tell their family and ask their family to inform the Academy. Alternatively, they could report to Miss Dixon (kdixon@nunthorpe.co.uk) if they would like to be supported by an anti-bullying ambassador.
Nunthorpe Academy also has a confidential email address to report any type of bullying: anti-bullying@nunthorpe.co.uk.
They can also tell the Inclusion Officer, who will investigate all incidents of alleged bullying.
Responding to bullying
Nunthorpe’s colleagues must be alert to the signs of bullying and act promptly and firmly against it. The Inclusion Officers will investigate serious incidents. Members of the Senior Team and the Pastoral Team will be expected to support the Inclusion Officers. The relevant Tutors and/or Pastoral Managers of those students involved will be made aware of any incident by means of a brief written report as well as an entry on the student’s SIMS Behaviour log. This will be retained for future reference and will also help identify any patterns or repeats in behaviour. Parents/carers will be kept informed of the stages.
Cyber-bullying (Online), by its very nature, will always require further investigation. If the bullying involves mobile telephones or other multimedia devices, these will be confiscated to enable investigators to examine them. The Nunthorpe Academy Internet and Network Usage Policy clearly outlines the procedures relating to: Computer systems, Internet, email, mobile telephone and multimedia use.
Students and their parents/carers are required to agree to and sign ‘Nunthorpe Academy Internet and Network Usage Agreement’ upon the student’s admission to the Academy. It clearly informs all parties, that any evidence of this type of bullying, will be retained by the Academy e.g. emails, text messages, etc.
Advice and support
Nunthorpe students are provided with accessible sources of advice and support. A student who feels they are subject to bullying, or who has witnessed bullying, may approach any Academy colleagues, who will then ensure that the matter is dealt with as quickly as possible.
Pastoral Managers and Form Tutors can provide advice, reassurance and support to any student who has been subject to bullying and will help with regard to restoring self-esteem and confidence. If necessary, Pastoral Managers can arrange counselling for victims of bullying, or indeed the bullies with a member of the Inclusion team. Students who have bullied others will be supported by: discussing what happened, discovering why they became involved, establishing the wrong doing and why there is a need to change their behaviour. Parents or carers will also be informed to help change the attitude of the student. Students who are concerned about bullying, either as a victim, a witness or those involved in bullying behaviour, can ask to speak to an anti-bullying ambassador. This can be done through Miss Dixon or via the pastoral team.
The following disciplinary steps can be taken (if applicable):
- Official warnings to cease offending;
- Restorative Conversations;
- Exclusion from certain areas of the academy premises;
- Isolation;
- Major fixed-term exclusion (external);
- Permanent exclusion.
Further information about anti-bullying, and support can be found via the links below:
Anti-Bullying Ambassadors
Anti-Bullying Ambassadors are trained, passionate young people who will stand up to bullying and believe they can change things for the better.
Anti-Bullying Ambassadors believe that bullying is not a normal part of life. They support others and take a stand to shape attitudes and change behaviours. They are a pillar of support, look out for others and are a strong youth voice for the school community.
Anti-Bullying Ambassadors at Nunthorpe Academy
Our anti-bullying ambassadors work closely with School Council. Miss Dixon is the staff member who leads on both school council and anti-bullying ambassadors; students or parents are welcome to contact her directly (kdixon@nunthorpe.co.uk) if they wish to find out more.
What do our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors do?
One to one support
Anti-bullying ambassadors can work one to one to support students who might be worried about or experiencing bullying, or those who need additional support in building and maintaining successful friendships. This is done in a friendly and supportive way, to allow that student to thrive in our Academy.
Support with Year 6 Transition
All of our trained Ambassadors automatically become part of the team of “buddies” who are involved in showing our new students around the Academy and supporting them through both their transition period and their initial weeks at Nunthorpe. This allows them to become recognisable faces to our new students, and to begin to build up those all-important relationships with them.
Whole School Events
Our team of Anti-Bullying Ambassadors also contributes to the development and running of whole school events, relating to bullying, building positive relationships and maintaining a positive ethos in school.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Contributions to pastoral schemes of work for tutor time on themes such as bullying, self-esteem and diversity;
- Discussions with senior and pastoral leaders and governors around their concerns, plans or achievements;
- Fundraising and awareness raising events linked to charity campaigns, for example the sale of Rainbow Ribbons for Diversity Week, “Dare to be Different” odd socks for school day or anti-bullying week assemblies.
How do I become an ambassador?
We are hoping to be in a position to train additional anti-bullying ambassadors this academic year (2024-25), so if your child is interested in joining the team, please contact Miss Dixon (kdixon@nunthorpe.co.uk). If there are more students interested than we have space for, we will issue application forms to ensure a fair process.
