Anti-Bullying

The aim of this page is to share our key views on anti-bullying and how students, parents and carers can support us with the work we do.

Bullying can be a very traumatic experience that can, if not dealt with effectively, leave a lasting impression. We hope you find the anti-bullying section useful.

Our Views on Anti-Bullying

We believe that everyone matters at our Academy and they should able to learn, develop and thrive in an environment free from intimidation.

We aim to create a secure and safe environment and believe that this is vital for effective learning and ensures that all students’ rights to a positive school experience are met.

ALL bullying will be acted upon, therefore every person who is part of Horbury Academy has a responsibility to take action. Restorative Practice plays a central role in how we deal with bullying at Horbury Academy.

The organisation and procedures within our Academy will reflect the commitment to the prevention of bullying.

We will explicitly address the issues of bullying regularly through both our PSHE and Life Skills programme, our internal staff CPD and in other areas of the curriculum as appropriate.

We will actively encourage and develop an environment which allows students to talk confidentially about their fears and problems.

What should a student do if they witness bullying or are being bullied at Horbury Academy?

If a student feels she/he is being bullied, or witnesses bullying, they can report this fact to any member of our staff. Who this first point of contact is will depend on many factors but can include people such as:

• their Form Tutor
• a Horbury Peer Mentor or fellow student
• their classroom teacher
• their Pastoral Year Leader
• another adult
• inform parents/carers who can then alert the student’s form tutor.

Students must accept that they have a duty to themselves and other students in preventing bullying and taking action should it occur, either to themselves or someone else e.g. a friend.

Anti-Bullying Film

A selection of Horbury Academy students, together with Ossett Academy students, have been busy planning, scripting, producing and directing their own anti-bullying film, which you can find below.

Students produced the film, alongside our Accord anti-bullying policy, using their own words to make sure it’s as accessible as possible to their peers, as well as parents and carers. Its aim is to help people to recognise and report bullying, and to access support.

Anti-Bullying Contacts and Helplines

Childline
www.childline.org.uk
Free 24hour telephone lines for children and young people: Telephone 0800 1111

The Children’s Legal Centre
www.childrenslegalcentre.com
Tel: 01206 872466 (Administration/publications)
Tel: 01206 874807 (Education Law & Advocacy Unit)
Education Law Advice Line: 0845 456 6811

Parentline Plus
www.parentlineplus.org.uk
www.besomeonetotell.org.uk
Tel: 0808 800 2222

The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA)
Founded in 2002 by NSPCC and National Children’s Bureau, the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) brings together over 100 organisations into one network to develop and share good practice across the whole range of bullying issues.
http://www.kidscape.org.uk

Pannone Anti Bullying Blog
David Cook, a solicitor at Pannone, has written a guide for parents on cyberbullying and how to spot it. It talks about how to spot if your child is being cyberbullied, what to do to minimise the chances of it happening and what to do if it does happen. It’s a really informative article, and you can find it here:
http://www.pannone.com/media-centre/blog/cybercrime-blog/what-will-it-take-protect-our-children-cyber-bullying

Counselling Directory
Counselling Directory is a confidential service that encourages those in distress to seek help. The directory contains information on many different types of distress, as well as articles, news, and events.
http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/bullying.html

And Finally...

Out to Play

How is it right?
When individuals of all ages have to awake and fight every single day,
Waiting for that one day,
When eventually, people will come and call on me to play.
Have you ever felt this way?
To carry on living your life, you’d say, no way, but this, you’re scared to say.
It’s hard to go on,
When others sing that song,
Of happiness and joy,
But you can’t sing along,
Others turn the other cheek,
While among all the normal, you’re the freak.
“It’ll pass” they say,
“It’ll go” they say,
But they don’t know how it goes,
Every day,
When they sit there, with their perfect hair,
When they don’t have to grin and bear,
I sit and bide my time,
Until I can finally go home, to a place which is mine,
There I’m safe and sound, wrapped inside myself,
While my emotions stir around, that’s when I can’t think of a way to stand my ground.
Just no-one understands how hard it is, to let someone in, where to actually begin.
But where will it stop?
When you’re about to explode,
With all the fear and anger which consumes you.
Then that day comes, you find that person,
Who doesn’t just turn their back, and repeat, ‘forget it’, let your feelings go black,’
That person helps,
Knowing they know.
But nothing can take away that scar on your heart, the abuse, the names,
Their games.
That scar will always be there,
But this makes me stronger, day by day,
Knowing that now, for a change, they will come and ask me to play.