Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy
This policy replaces our Abusive Behaviour Policy
Statement: We are committed to providing a caring friendly and safe environment for all our students and staff so that they may learn and work in a relaxed and secure atmosphere both in school or online.
Abusive behaviour of any kind is unacceptable at TopUp Learning and will not be tolerated.Students are expected to respect our core values, which include mutual respect, tolerance of differences, individual liberty, the rule of law and democracy.
Related policies:
Codes of Conduct
Complaints Policy
Safeguarding Policy
Health & Safety Policy
E-Safety Policy
The purpose for this policy is:
- To ensure that all staff and students should have an understanding of abusive behaviour and its consequences.
- To outline the procedures for reporting abusive behaviour
- To demonstrate TopUp Learning’s commitment to the prevention of bullying and harassment, as part of its safeguarding duties.
Abusive behaviour Policy and Practice
Abusive behaviour is anything that intends to hurt or upset someone physically or emotionally; that makes them feel unhappy, ashamed or afraid.
Examples include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
- Any physical violence such as hitting or punching,
- Name calling and spreading harmful rumours
- Threats to hurt someone
- Excluding anyone from an activity or group work
- Ignoring or not talking to someone
- Laughing at someone in an inappropriate manner
- Taking or damaging someone’s property
- Discrimination of any kind – race, gender, marital status, religious belief, sexual orientation, in a hostile manner
- Coercing other students into the taking of any unauthorised substances
- Sexual harassment
- Coercing other students into consumption of alcohol on the premises
Cyberbullying/online bullying:
- excluding a classmate from online games, activities or friendship groups
- sending threatening, upsetting or abusive messages
- creating and sharing embarrassing or malicious images or videos
- ‘trolling’ – sending menacing or upsetting messages on social networks, chat rooms or online games
- voting for or against someone in an abusive poll
- setting up hate sites or groups about a particular classmate
- creating fake accounts, hijacking or stealing online identities to embarrass a young person or cause trouble using their name.
Procedures and consequences when a student complains of abusive behaviour:
If an individual uses or threatens violence, or is witnessed using abusive language to another person, they are to report it immediately to the Designated Staff (DS), Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or the Principal.
Other patterns of abusive behaviour are less obvious and may need to be investigated.
- If a staff member is approached or contacted by a student or colleague about an incident, they will listen to the person concerned and then refer them to the DS(L). If it involves a student Under 18, the Designated Staff (DS) will include the Principal in the following steps.
- The DS will listen to the staff/ student and make notes on the incident and record these. All reported cases will be investigated and recorded.
- If abusive behaviour has taken place the Principal will then ensure the following actions take place:
- Staff try to stop the abusive behaviour by talking to all parties involved. This is done through explaining to the person(s) acting unkindly the effect their actions are having on others.
- Those being unkind are asked to apologise to the other parties involved in the presence of the DS and Principal. The aim is to reconcile the 2 parties.
- In situations where both parties are at fault, students will be asked to meet with the Principal either in the school or online. The events will be documented and will be signed by all in attendance.
- The abusive behaviour must stop immediately. Attempts will be made to help the perpetrator change their behaviour and to support the victim.
The parents of any student under 18 involved in such incidents will be contacted immediately by the DS or DSL. They will be informed of what has happened and the action taken by TopUp Learning to resolve the situation.
In serious cases of abusive behaviour TopUp Learning reserves the right to exclude the student concerned.
In the case of students, any further incidents of bullying by the same person will result in their being sent home or if studying online removed from class as quickly as possible. No refund will be offered for course or accommodation.
In the case of staff the our disciplinary procedure will be implemented, which may result in dismissal.
Annual Review: This policy is reviewed annually by the Principal and Designated Staff and Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Next review: January 2022