Procedures for Notifying and Reporting Incidents

• Minor incidents should be noted by the class teacher and dated in Behaviour Book. If a member of staff notices a pattern of what he or she perceives to be bullying in the yard, they should inform the class teacher or Principal.
• When the class moves on, the succeeding teacher should be informed (via the Behaviour Book) of any problems that existed.
• If parents/guardians have concerns about the child being bullied they should inform the class teacher.
• Reports of bullying either from parents/guardians or a staff member should be recorded. The teacher should investigate. If the teacher suspects that bullying occured, the Principal/Deputy Principal should be informed.
• Parents/guardians of those involved should be notified and given an opportunity to discuss the matter by the teacher. It should be made clear that children reporting incidents of bullying are acting responsibly and their reports will be recorded.
• Behaviour Book will begin in Junior Infants and stay with each class as they move up through the school to 6th class.

Principles for Investigating and Dealing with Bullying

• Calm, unemotional, problem-solving approach.
• Incidents are best investigated at times when the rest of the class are not present eg. Break time or after school.
• Teachers should speak separately to the children involved.
• Members of a gang should be met separately and as a group.
• Children are given the opportunity to relate their own version of the event.
• Parents/guardians should be informed where it has been determined that bullying has occured.
• Follow-up communication with the child/parents/guardians of the bullied child to check that no further difficulties have arisen and note meeting in the Behaviour Book.

Investigation/Reporting of Alleged Bullying

The contact person will:

1. Interview with the bullied pupil
2. Arrange a meeting for all those involved (ie. Victim bully)
3. Define the problem

Strategies for Managing the Bully

While the school will endeavour to offer support and assistance to the perpetrator, the person who is bullying must accept such behaviour will not be accepted. At the initial meeting with the bully, the teacher will:

• Define the problem
• Decide on a course of action
• Involve him/herself in designing a programme to change this behaviour.
• The child will participate in determining reasonable sanctions which will be used if he/she continues to bully.
• Parents/guardians do not necessarily have to be involved at this stage. The teacher involved will file a copy of this programme signed by the child concerned and parent, if deemed necessary.

If the bullying persists and involves the same individuals or if the bully bullies other individuals, METNS will contact the parents/guardians and request that they visit the school and inform them about the persistent pattern of bullying. In extreme cases, in consultation with the parents/guardians, a behavioural contract will be drawn up.
If there is serious or persistent bullying, the Board of Management will decide on whether to suspend or expel the bully concerned. This is covered under the rule for National School No. 130 as included in Circular 20/90 and in the School’s Positive Behaviour Policy.

Dealing with “Bully Gangs”

• The “No Blame Approach” may be employed for dealing with “Bully Gangs”.
• The victims will be met separately, the victims will be given an account of what happened.
• Every member of the “gang” will be interviewed and they will write down what happened.
• It will be agreed with every member of the gang separately what is expected of him/her and discussed how he/she has broken school guidelines.
• The “gang” will be interviewed as a group. As a group, each member will state what happened. It will be necessary to ensure that everyone is clear about what has happened.
• Strategies will be decided which involve children in solving the problem eg. Method of shared concern no blame approach.
• False excuses or redefinition of incident will not be accepted.

Dealing with the Victim

Every effort will be made to re-inforce the self-esteem of the victim. It may be necessary to find out what type of victim the pupil is. Is he/she a classic victim, a colluding victim, a provocative victim? The victim will be encouraged to find ways in which they can improve the situation. If the victim is a provocative victim, then he/she needs to realise that their own behaviour is contributing to the bullying behaviour.