Background
The Association of Ringing Teachers (ART) includes this Anti-Bullying Code of Practice as part of our safeguarding policy and procedures.
The Association of Ringing Teachers:
- Seeks to ensure that bullying behaviour is not accepted or condoned.
- Will act to investigate and respond to any alleged incidents of bullying and report them to the Safeguarding Officer.
- Will liaise with Diocesan/Parish Safeguarding Officers over any complaint.
- Will ensure that teachers are given access to information on bullying.
Following this guidance is not compulsory. You are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. ART Members are expected to follow this guidance. Relevant enforcing authorities will seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance.
Code of Practice
Each Teacher will respect every adult or child’s need for, and rights to, safety, security, praise, recognition and opportunity and will:
- Respect the feelings and views of others.
- Recognise that everyone is important and that our differences make each of us special and should be valued.
- Show appreciation of others by acknowledging individual qualities, contributions and progress.
- Be committed to the early identification of bullying, and prompt and collective action to deal with it.
- Ensure safety by having rules and practices available for Teachers.
- Report incidents of bullying they see – by doing nothing you are condoning bullying.
- Support the individual being bullied.
Bullying
- All forms of bullying will be addressed.
- Everybody in the organisation has a responsibility to work together to stop bullying.
- Bullying can include online as well as offline behaviour.
- Bullying can include:
- Physical pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching etc.
- Name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent teasing and emotional torment through ridicule, humiliation or the continual ignoring of individuals.
- Posting of derogatory or abusive comments, videos or images on social network sites.
- Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures or sectarianism.
- Sexual comments, suggestions or behaviour.
- Unwanted physical contact.
Children with a disability, from ethnic minorities, young people who are gay or lesbian, or those with learning difficulties are more vulnerable to this form of abuse and are more likely to be targeted.
Support to the child
- Children should know who will listen to and support them. Be available to listen to children wishing to talk about bullying or any other issue that affects them. Potential barriers to talking (including those associated with a child’s disability or impairment) need to be identified and addressed at the outset to enable children to approach adults for help.
- Anyone who reports an incident of bullying will be listened to carefully and be supported. Any reported incident of bullying will be investigated objectively and will involve listening carefully to all those involved.
- Those who bully will be supported and encouraged to stop bullying. Sanctions for those bullying others that involve long periods of isolation, or which diminish and make individuals look or feel foolish in front of others, will be avoided.
- If an ART Member is found to be bullying, membership may be discontinued by the ART Management Committee.
Support to the parents/guardians
Parents/guardians may have access to organisation’s bullying policy and practice and information and advice on coping with bullying will be made available. Any incident of bullying will be discussed with the child’s parent(s)/guardians and parents will be consulted on action to be taken (for both victim and bully) and agreements made as to what action should be taken.
Useful contacts