Anti Bullying Policy 2014-15
Abbey College Cambridge
Aim
All pupils at Abbey College Cambridge have the right to feel safe and not tolerate
any form of bullying.
Bullying will not be tolerated at Abbey College Cambridge and will be dealt with in all
seriousness. Teachers should be diligent in classrooms and around schools to the signs of
bullying and report any concerns to the Head of Year or CPO.
We aim to encourage positive support from within the college, encouraging pupils
to realise that they do not have to tolerate bullying and should inform others if they
are being bullied. All pupils should be confident in the knowledge that they will be
listened to and believed, and that action will be taken. This action will be prompt
and sensitive to their concerns. This policy aims to address the following outcomes
of the Every Child Matters Framework.
1. Be Healthy
2. Stay Safe
3. Enjoy and Achieve
4. Make a Positive Contribution
5. Social and Economic Well-being
Objectives
 All governors, teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and pupils have an
understanding of what bullying is.
 All governors, teachers and non-teaching staff should know what the school
policy is on bullying, and follow it when bullying is reported.
 All pupils and parents should know what the school policy is on bullying,
and what they should do if bullying arises.
 As a college we take bullying seriously. Pupils and parents should be assured
that they will be supported when bullying is reported.
 Bullying is an anti-social behaviour and affects everyone; it is unacceptable
and will not be tolerated.
Definition
Bullying is the deliberate and conscious kind of behaviour causing an individual to
feel uncomfortable or threatened. This may take the form of racial, religious,
cultural, sexual/sexist, homophobic, disability, physical abuse including threatening
behaviour or extortion and or cyber (mobile phones etc) in origin.
There are three main types of bullying: Emotional e.g. Actively excluding pupils, tormenting, spreading rumours,
gesturing.
 Physical e.g. Hitting, kicking, punching, taking or hiding belongings,
damaging property.
 Verbal e.g. Name calling, teasing, insulting, writing unkind notes,
threatening.
Cyber Bullying
Cyber bullying is perpetrated via a technological medium, e.g. the internet or mobile
phone. It can be an extension of ‘face to face’ bullying, with technology providing
the bully with another route to harass their target. However, it differs in several
ways from other kinds of bullying because of the invasion of home and personal space
and the size of the audience. It takes different forms;
 threats and intimidation
 harassment
 cyber stalking e.g. repeatedly sending unwanted texts, defamation
 exclusion or peer rejection
 impersonation
 circulation of private information or images and manipulation
Cyber bullying is deliberate and aggressive. Although it leaves no visible scars,
cyber bullying is extremely destructive. What is more, bullies can reach a much
wider number within a peer group than they can with conventional bullying.
Vindictive comments posted on the website, for instance, can be seen by a larger
audience, as can video clips sent by mobile phones.
Children are less likely to report the problem through fear of having their Internet
access or phone removed. Parents need to be informed of what is happening to their
child or what their child are doing. We have cyber bullying/anti bullying packs with
Karen Lonsdale (Vice Principal). Research into cyber bullying indicates that it is a
feature of many young people’s lives. It can affect members of staff and other adults,
as staff can be ridiculed, threatened and otherwise abused by pupils.
Cyber bullying, like all other forms of bullying, should be taken very seriously. It is never
acceptable.
Head of Year Guidelines (tutor to support)
The Victim
 Listen to and reassure the victim that the College will do everything to help
them.
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Believe them and give them the confidence to tell you exactly what happened.
Don’t promise to keep anything secret.
Inform the victim that bullies feed on fear. Don’t show that fear, or take
personal revenge.
The victim should be reassured that it is not their fault, and that this has
happened to others. There is nothing wrong with them
Give continued support to the victim and check at later dates to see that
bullying is not reoccurring
Encourage the victim to talk to someone they trust for support.
If this occurs in the boarding house and the bully is the students roommate
contact the Boarding Manager immediately. New accommodation may be
required based on the seriousness of the incident.
The Bully
 Make the bully aware that their behaviour is unacceptable.
 Explain clearly and precisely what behaviour is causing distress to the victim.
 Discuss the difference between assertive and aggressive behaviour.
 Make the bully aware of the consequences if bullying continues.
 Discuss ways by which the bully must change their behaviour.
 Inform the Vice Principal Pastoral if the bullying is of a serious nature.
 Monitor the bully’s behaviour over the next few weeks.
 Whatever the cause, bullying is usually a signal that the bully also needs help.
Strategies in place
 All staff are aware that it is their responsibility to up hold and implement the
anti-bullying policy.
 Pupils are encouraged to talk to peers, H4U students and teachers who can
then feedback Personal tutors/Wardens, Head of Year and Vice Principal
Pastoral. There is strong hidden teacher involvement with incidents logged
and tracked within Engage.
 All pupils undergo training into the effects of bullying in the current PSHE
Schemes of Work.
 Anti-bulling lessons are part of all induction programs within the College.
 Senior Management, teachers and pupil tutor groups regularly present ‘Anti
Bullying lessons’
 Annually anti bullying topics will be covered with staff.
Our key message will always be prevention, by teaching pupils that everyone in our college
has the right to feel safe, happy and respected, and that bullying of any kind will not be
tolerated.
The College believes there is no situation where bullying is acceptable.
Cyber bullying Policy
Cyber bullying is perpetrated via a technological medium, e.g. the internet or mobile
phone. It can be an extension of ‘face to face’ bullying, with technology providing
the bully with another route to harass their target. However, it differs in several
ways from other kinds of bullying because of the invasion of home and personal space,
potential for anonymity on the part of the bully and the size of the audience. It takes
different forms;
 threats and intimidation
 harassment
 cyber stalking e.g. repeatedly sending unwanted texts, defamation
 exclusion or peer rejection
 impersonation
 vilification/defamation
 circulation of private information or images and manipulation
Cyber bullying is deliberate and aggressive. Although it leaves no visible scars,
cyber bullying is extremely destructive. What is more, bullies can reach a much
wider number within a peer group than they can with conventional bullying.
Vindictive comments posted on the website, for instance, can be seen by a larger
audience, as can video clips sent by mobile phones.
Students are less likely to report the problem through fear of having their Internet
access or phone removed. Parents need to be informed of what is happening to their
child or what their child are doing. We have cyber bullying/anti bullying packs with
Karen Lonsdale (Vice Principal). Research into cyber bullying indicates that it is a
feature of many young people’s lives. It can affect members of staff and other adults,
as staff can be ridiculed, threatened and otherwise abused by pupils.
Students are educated on the subject of cyber bullying via the PSHE programme and
through pastoral support. They are encourage, as with any bullying, to report
instances of this or any other dangerous or suspicious online behaviour to be dealt
with in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Anti-bullying Policy. All
staff have a responsibility to safeguard the welfare of the pupils online by education
them, support them and reporting any instances of cyber bullying or other
dangerous or suspicious online activity in line with school procedure.
The College is committed to protecting pupils and staff from potential harm deriving
from their use of the internet, mobile telephones and other electronic and digital
technology or systems. The College’s IT network is secure and subject to continuous
monitoring in the interests of safeguarding the wellbeing of all members of the
College community. The College takes reasonable steps to control and monitor the
use of the internet and other electronic means of communication without
disproportionately compromising pupils’ privacy or their ability to communicate
with their parents/carers or outside agencies. The College’s pupil Internet Usage
Policy aims to ensure that pupils are responsible in their use of IT, making sure that
they safeguard their own wellbeing, do nothing that adversely affects others, adopt
good practice to enable the efficient operation of the College network and do not
waste time.
The Student Internet Usage Policy defines what constitutes safe and acceptable use
of the internet and any other electronic and digital services to which pupils have
access whether or not provided by the college identifies clearly what pupils are and
are not allowed to do in the digital environment provides clear information and
guidance about how to be safe in the digital environment.
Students are expected to confirm their agreement to adhere to the policy at the start
of the academic year.