To ensure that everyone in the school has an awareness of and sensitivity to bullying. Bullying is any behaviour which is intended to hurt, threaten or frighten another person or group of people and appropriate measures will be taken to support the victim and reform the perpetrator. The policy covers all bullying including:

- sexist bullying, where a person is targeted for being perceived as being a member of a particular gender

- racist bullying, defined as behaviour or language that makes a pupil feel unwelcome or marginalised because of their colour, ethnicity, culture, religion or national origin.

- homophobic bullying, which includes any hostile or offensive actions against a person on the grounds of their gender orientation or preference.

Purpose

To recognise that bullying can be:

• Physical - hurting, hitting, kicking, shoving, pinching, following/stalking, damaging someone else's belongings (e.g. covering them with a substance, taking them or hiding them).

• Verbal - name calling, nasty teasing or spreading rumours.

• Indirect - someone being deliberately left out or ignored.

• A subtle nasty look, gestures, - often difficult to detect.

• Repeated often - can continue for a long period of time.

• It is unwanted by the recipient and causes distress.

• It may be individually perpetrated or orchestrated to involve a group

• It may be direct or by text messaging or MSN/Bebo/MySpace

Broad Guidelines

Everyone in the school has a responsibility to report any such behaviour experienced by us, noticed by us, or told to us, to any member of staff trusted by the victim or witness.

• Serious or violent incidents should be reported immediately to the Deputy Headmistress in the Senior School, and the Head of the Prep Department. The school will take action on all cases of bullying on its premises, or on school visits and activities.

• Bullying is thoroughly discussed as part of the PSME programme so that pupils are made aware of what action to take if they become a victim and that they cannot beat bullying single handed.

• Bullying is a recurrent theme for Circle time through out the year.

• Bullying is a recurrent focus in Monday assemblies and for form led assemblies on a Friday.

• Bullying is explored through role play in drama lessons and discussed within the curriculum in any subject, particularly humanities, religious studies and English.

• The welfare of pupils is a regular agenda item for the school council in the senior school and in house meetings in the prep school.

• The Anti-Bullying policy is included in every senior girl's Homework Diary.

• In the Prep school the Code of Conduct is displayed in the classroom and in the Senior school the Anti-Bullying Policy is displayed in form rooms.

• Help victims not to be afraid of consequences if they report bullying.

• Tell someone - friend, teacher or parent. This is not telling tales.

• Make sure they explain how the situation is affecting them.

• Make sure that they have a say in the solution.

• As a general rule the No blame approach to bullying should be used.

• Teacher interviews victim and notes initial concerns. The matter is then passed to the Deputy Head or Head of the Prep Department, who will investigate thoroughly according to the Bullying Policy Procedures.

• The policy will be reviewed each year by the Senior Management Team and the Governors.

Conclusion

That every child has the right to be a part of a warm, caring, environment and that we have a responsibility to protect this right.