Anti-Bullying Statement

Holden Lane Primary School is a happy and caring school where expectations of behaviour are high. We provide a safe and positive learning environment within which we seek to develop a mutually supportive culture where children can understand and express their feelings and respect those of others. We aim to build a community based on partnership with parents, children, staff, governors and the wider community.

In providing a safe environment for children, the school does not tolerate any form of bullying behaviour, including repeated acts of aggression and/or 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, with a range of activities, circle times and assemblies to raise awareness, promote a culture of inclusion and acceptance, and highlight the impact of bullying and the role we all take in preventing it. This is supported by our P.S.H.E. curriculum through which children learn the value of diversity, difference and acceptance and our Whole School Thrive programme, which delivers targeted assemblies and themed afternoons to address specific needs and topics.

Here are some of the pledges our children came up with:

  • Do not be a bystander, be an upstander.
  • Notice it and act on it!
  • Reach out to someone you trust.
  • Be a confident defender.
  • Stand up to bullies!

Click the STOP button to report bullying

Stop-Button-scaled-250x250

Anti-Bullying Quality Mark Gold Award

We are absolutely delighted to have received the Anti-bullying Quality Mark Gold Award for our school, the very first school in England to have achieved this prestigious award! The ABQM assessor said,

The Anti-Bullying Quality Mark is a national scheme which endorses how good schools are at preventing bullying. It challenges them to establish effective, sustainable anti-bullying policies and strategies.

Holden Lane Primary School is the first school in England to achieve the ABQM-UK Gold Award because staff, students, families and Governors demonstrated that anti-bullying has had a significant impact on the community.

The pupils and staff have worked really hard to build a safe and supportive environment for expressing their feelings and managing their behaviour. This means that pupils are far less likely to get involved in bullying behaviour. They have also built a culture of respect and understanding which means that trusting friendships and adult-pupil relationships can thrive. 

We would like to congratulate Sharon Reece for her resilience and dedication to securing this really impressive achievement for the Holden Lane community, as well as her colleagues, governors, pupils and parents/carers for their commitment to anti-bullying. We hope that the Gold Award recognises their efforts and inspires them to continue to strengthen their anti-bullying policy and practice for the benefit of the local community.

Huge congratulations to Mrs Reece, our children, staff, governors and parents for their hard work in supporting our commitment to anti-bullying at Holden Lane. We are extremely proud to have our work recognised by the first ever Gold award in England and feel very much inspired and motivated to continue strengthening our anti-bullying policy and practice to sustain this excellent practice moving forward.

ABQM-UK GOLD – WELL DONE TO EVERYONE AT HOLDEN LANE!

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 outlines several legal obligations regarding the school’s 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 school’s 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.

Malicious Communications Act 1988
• Public Order Act 1986
• Communications Act 2003
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Education Act 2011

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’

The Anti-bullying policy operates in conjunction with the following school policies:
• Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.
• Positive Behaviour Policy
• Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy
• Online Safety Policy
• Child on Child Abuse Policy

It s important to understand that there is a link between bullying, child-on-child abuse and harassment behaviours.
Children can abuse other children. This is generally referred to as child on child abuse and can take many forms. It can happen both inside and outside of school/college and online. It is most likely to include, but may not be limited to: bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying); abuse in intimate personal relationships between children/young people; physical abuse; sexual violence, sexual assault; sexual harassment; non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos; causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent; upskirting; and initiation/hazing type violence and rituals. Adapted from: Keeping children Safe in Education 2023

Please see the key information documents below.

Anti-Bullying Policy
Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy
Child on Child Abuse Policy
Approaches to Preventing and Tackling Bullying – Case Study

Definition
Bullying is defined as a concerted and often prolonged effort to upset a targeted individual in order to demean and undermine to the advantage of the bully.

What is bullying?
The Holden Lane Primary definition of bullying is: “A systematic and extended victimisation of a person or group, by another or group of others.”
Some forms of bullying are attacks not only on the individual, but also on the group to which he or she may belong.
Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person. Bullying is behaviour which results in pain, distress, anxiety or fear to the victim, it can affect a person’s mental well-being.

Bullying is not:

  • Children falling out
  • Children losing their temper
  • Children pushing or hurting in a single event.
  • 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, ethnic origin, physical/social disability, or personality etc.
  • Emotional – isolating others, tormenting, hiding books, 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 and Disability – negative or abusive comments to anyone who appears to be ‘different’ mentally or physically.
  • Homophobic – because of, or focusing 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.

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 children about how to avoid or handle bullying outside of school.
  • Talk to the Headteacher of any other school whose children are bullying.
  • Talk to the Police where this is deemed necessary.

The DfE says that, “failure to take disciplinary steps to combat harmful behaviour outside the school might breach the school’s common duty of care.” Legal Services advise that schools can take disciplinary action against children for incidents that occur outside of school.

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 Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead).
  • Parent/Carer will be informed.
  • Parent/Carer may be asked to attend a strategy meeting to try and resolve issues and establish the root cause of bullying behaviour.
  • Children may be internally or externally suspended depending on the severity of the bullying. This is at the discretion of the Headteacher.
  • Children may be kept in at break and lunchtimes.
  • Children may lose reward time or other privileges.
  • Further input in Emotional Literacy from the SENCO or Head of Pastoral Care either on a 1:1 or small group basis.
  • External referrals for support may be made if required.

Responses to bullying will include SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bonded) outcomes.

Anti-Bullying Week 2022 is coordinated in England and Wales by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. This year the theme was Reach Out and the week kicked off with Odd Socks Day on Monday, where adults and children wore odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique. Children learnt how to raise awareness of bullying of children and young people, in schools and elsewhere, and how to prevent and respond to it. Here are some of the pledges our children came up with:

  • Do not be a bystander, be an upstander.
  • Notice it and act on it!
  • Reach out to someone you trust.
  • Be a confident defender.
  • Stand up to bullies!

Anti-Bullying Alliance

National Bullying Helpline

NSPCC

Family Lives

Key Information

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 outlines several legal obligations regarding the school’s 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 school’s 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.

Malicious Communications Act 1988
• Public Order Act 1986
• Communications Act 2003
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Education Act 2011

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’

The Anti-bullying policy operates in conjunction with the following school policies:
• Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.
• Positive Behaviour Policy
• Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy
• Online Safety Policy
• Child on Child Abuse Policy

It s important to understand that there is a link between bullying, child-on-child abuse and harassment behaviours.
Children can abuse other children. This is generally referred to as child on child abuse and can take many forms. It can happen both inside and outside of school/college and online. It is most likely to include, but may not be limited to: bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying); abuse in intimate personal relationships between children/young people; physical abuse; sexual violence, sexual assault; sexual harassment; non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos; causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent; upskirting; and initiation/hazing type violence and rituals. Adapted from: Keeping children Safe in Education 2023

Please see the key information documents below.

Anti-Bullying Policy
Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy
Child on Child Abuse Policy
Approaches to Preventing and Tackling Bullying – Case Study
What is Bullying?

Definition
Bullying is defined as a concerted and often prolonged effort to upset a targeted individual in order to demean and undermine to the advantage of the bully.

What is bullying?
The Holden Lane Primary definition of bullying is: “A systematic and extended victimisation of a person or group, by another or group of others.”
Some forms of bullying are attacks not only on the individual, but also on the group to which he or she may belong.
Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person. Bullying is behaviour which results in pain, distress, anxiety or fear to the victim, it can affect a person’s mental well-being.

Bullying is not:

  • Children falling out
  • Children losing their temper
  • Children pushing or hurting in a single event.
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, ethnic origin, physical/social disability, or personality etc.
  • Emotional – isolating others, tormenting, hiding books, 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 and Disability – negative or abusive comments to anyone who appears to be ‘different’ mentally or physically.
  • Homophobic – because of, or focusing 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 children about how to avoid or handle bullying outside of school.
  • Talk to the Headteacher of any other school whose children are bullying.
  • Talk to the Police where this is deemed necessary.

The DfE says that, “failure to take disciplinary steps to combat harmful behaviour outside the school might breach the school’s common duty of care.” Legal Services advise that schools can take disciplinary action against children for incidents that occur outside of school.

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 Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead).
  • Parent/Carer will be informed.
  • Parent/Carer may be asked to attend a strategy meeting to try and resolve issues and establish the root cause of bullying behaviour.
  • Children may be internally or externally suspended depending on the severity of the bullying. This is at the discretion of the Headteacher.
  • Children may be kept in at break and lunchtimes.
  • Children may lose reward time or other privileges.
  • Further input in Emotional Literacy from the SENCO or Head of Pastoral Care either on a 1:1 or small group basis.
  • External referrals for support may be made if required.

Responses to bullying will include SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bonded) outcomes.

Anti-Bullying Week

Anti-Bullying Week 2022 is coordinated in England and Wales by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. This year the theme was Reach Out and the week kicked off with Odd Socks Day on Monday, where adults and children wore odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique. Children learnt how to raise awareness of bullying of children and young people, in schools and elsewhere, and how to prevent and respond to it. Here are some of the pledges our children came up with:

  • Do not be a bystander, be an upstander.
  • Notice it and act on it!
  • Reach out to someone you trust.
  • Be a confident defender.
  • Stand up to bullies!
Useful Links

Anti-Bullying Alliance

National Bullying Helpline

NSPCC

Family Lives

Holden Lane is a small school with a big heart.

| Ofsted 2024

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