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Anti-Bullying

Anti-Bullying at City of Rochester School

City of Rochester School is a happy and caring school where expectations of behaviour are high. We provide a safe, inclusive, and positive learning environment where our pupils can understand and express their feelings and respect those of others. We work together as a community with our pupils, parents staff, trustees and the wider community to share and enjoy our values.

In providing a safe environment for children, the school does not tolerate any form of bullying behaviour including repeated acts of discrimination. All acts of bullying are taken seriously and will be dealt with in accordance with our anti-bullying policy. As a school we are proud to take place in the annual Anti-Bullying Week as part of our Cultural and Diversity calendar. We provide a range of activities to raise awareness, promote a culture of inclusion and acceptance, and highlight the impact of bullying and the role that we all take in preventing it. This is supported with by our PSHE curriculum through which children learn the value of diversity, difference, and acceptance. Our pupil mentors support their peers and help ensure that our pupils know they are safe and can embrace their individuality.

 

Anti Bullying Policy (Currently under review)
Anti-Bullying Leaflet
Child-Friendly Safeguarding Policy
Key Information

The education and inspections act 2006 outlines several legal obligations regarding the schools response to bullying. Under section 89, schools must have measures in place to encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils. These measures are part of the schools behavioural policy, which is communicated to all pupils, school staff and parents.

All staff, parents and pupils work together to prevent and reduce any instances of bullying at the school. There is a zero-tolerance policy for bullying at the school.

The Anti-Bullying policy has been written in accordance with guidance, including, but not limited to:
DfE (2017) ‘Preventing and tackling bullying’
DfE (2018) ‘Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and
colleges’
DfE (2018) ‘Mental health and wellbeing provision in schools’.

Meet the Anti-Bullying Team
Alison Barton
Becci Dunn
Kaylee Ben-Hania
Kelly Lovell
Kirstine Boon
Useful links
Anti-Bullying Week

Anti-Bullying Week 2025 will take place from Monday 10th – Friday 14th November, with the theme: Power for Good. The week will kick off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 10th, with adults and children being encouraged to wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.

Antibullying Week 2025: Building Bridges of Kindness
Our school enthusiastically participated in Antibullying Week, which ran from Monday, 10th November, to Friday, 14th November, focusing on the theme ‘Building Bridges’. The week kicked off with a vibrant Odd Socks Day on 10th November, celebrating the unique differences that make us all special. Across the school, our pupils engaged in activities designed to promote kindness and understanding, which culminated beautifully with World Kindness Day on 13th November.
In Primary, pupils used the ‘Building Bridges Primary Resources’ to explore important concepts. Our youngest pupils began with an assembly on ‘Have you filled your bucket?’ and learnt about empathy and the role of an ‘Upstander’ through dedicated videos, social stories, and quizzes. For Kindness Day, they watched the ‘One Kind Word’ video and took part in a kindness paper chains competition, working to complete their ‘Kindness superhero’ templates. Simultaneously, Secondary pupils explored the theme using the ‘Building Bridges Secondary Resources’. Their lessons covered the definition of bullying, the ‘Power for good’ poem, and the importance of being an Upstander, leading to a ‘Power for good pledge’. One class shared their ‘odd socks’ and discussed why celebrating difference matters, linking their kindness discussions to real-world issues like Food Banks and different life circumstances. They reflected on using the ‘Power of Good’ to ensure inclusion at break and lunch times, offering small acts of kindness throughout the day. This positive focus was powerfully reflected in the paper chains of kindness, which reached twice around our school hall! As one pupil noted, “Together we are even kinder.”

Anti-Bullying Week PosterDownload

Anti-Bullying Week 2024 will take place from Monday 11th – Friday 15th November – coordinated in England & Wales by the Anti-Bullying Aliance; with the theme: Choose Respect. Odd Socks Day is taking place on Tuesday 12th November, with adults and children being encouraged to wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.

Antibullying-2023Download
Anti-bullying flowchart
Peer Mentor
What is Bullying
Types of Bullying
  • Physical – A child can be physically punched, kicked, hit, spat at etc.
  • Verbal – Verbal abuse can take the form of name calling.It may be directed towards gender, ethic origin, physical/social disability, or personality etc.
  • Emotional – Isolating others, tormenting, hiding things, threatening gestures, ridicule, humiliation, intimidating, excluding, manipulation and coercion.
  • Online/Cyber – Posting on social media, sharing photos, sending inappropriate text messages, social exclusion.
  • Indirect – Can include the exploitation of individuals.
  • Racial, Religious/Cultural – racial, religious or cultural taunts, graffiti or gestures
  • Special Educational Needs & Disability – Negative or abusive comments to anyone who appears to be ‘different’ mentally of physically.
  • Homophobic – Because of, of focussing on the issue of homosexuality, homophobic abuse/ language.
  • Exclusion – A child can be bullied simply by being repeatedly excluded from discussions or activities, with those they believe to be their friends.
  • Damage to property or theft – Pupils may have their property damaged or stolen. Physical threats may be used by the bully in order that the pupil hands over property to them.
Bullying Outside of School

Schools are not directly responsible for bullying that occurs off the premises but we know that bullying can occur outside the school gates and on journeys to and from school.

The bullying may be perpetrated by children from our own school, by children from other schools or by people who are not at school at all.

Where a child or parent/Carer informs us of bullying off the School premises we will:

  • Talk to the children about how to avoid or handle bullying outside of the school.
  • Talk to the Headteacher of any other school whose children are bullying.
  • Talk to the Police where it is deemed necessary.
Suspected Bullying-Action Taken

If bullying is suspected we talk to the suspected victim, the suspected bully and any witnesses. Help, support and counselling will be given as is appropriate to both the victims and bullies. If any degree of bullying is identified, the following action will be taken;


To support the victims we will:


Offer immediate opportunities to talk about the experience with the class teacher, support staff, Head of Pastoral Care, or any other adult the child may choose.
Inform the victim’s parents/guardians.
The class teacher and support staff will monitor and support the situation, working closely with the Head of Pastoral Care.
The pupil will be offered a 1:1 session with the Head of Pastoral Care.
External referral for support may be made.
Arrange for the children to be escorted to and from the school premises
Apply one or more of the disciplinary steps described below to prevent
further incidents.
In all cases we will try to empower the victim to seek help and feel confident and safe in resolving the issue.


Perpetrator:


All incidents will be investigated fully by the head teacher and Head of Pastoral Care.
The class teams will monitor and support the situation, working closely with the Head of Pastoral Care;(also DeputyDesignated Safeguarding Lead).