Behaviour, discipline and anti-bullying guidelines

Every child is entitled to an education in a safe and secure environment, free from distraction. We encourage schools to have a preventative and proactive approach to behaviour difficulties through implementing policies which promote good behaviour.

All schools must have a behaviour policy and this must cover bullying. There are guidelines to help schools with the process of constructing a policy and give the means to review existing policies.

Behaviour policies should cover all aspects of behaviour in a school. No behaviour should be viewed in isolation but in the context in which it occurs. Behaviour policies are about interaction between pupils, between pupils and staff, parents/carers and outside agencies.

Our goal is to reinforce the positive qualities of friendship, good manners, tolerance of diversity along with racial and sexual equality within a caring community. This means we must provide young people with opportunities to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes by actively involving them in shaping policy.

Violence and the abuse of power occur frequently in our community. At its most extreme are the cases of domestic violence and rape as well as the many forms of child abuse which have received media coverage. Abuse comes in many forms. It can be actual physical assault. It can be verbal abuse. It can be the "silent treatment". It is important to remember that the degree of the offence does not necessarily mirror the impact of the bullying. For example, the silent treatment can be equally as damaging as physical or verbal abuse. Bullying in all its forms is a major cause of distress in schools and damaging to individuals, schools and communities.

One of our society's aims must be to create a safer community. We must demonstrate our commitment by providing clear examples to children that bullying and the abuse of power are not acceptable.

Bullying is one aspect of behaviour which causes hurt and anxiety. It causes concern to parents and affects the school's ethos. It is hard to tackle successfully with short term interventions.