Bullying in any form is unacceptable. As a school, we regard the values of mutual respect, collaboration and community very highly and use them in order to reinforce this statement. All staff will clearly state that bullying is unacceptable behaviour at Ridgewood School. Teasing and other ‘minor’ incidents will be discouraged. We will actively promote tolerance and respect for difference and diversity (e.g. relating to race, gender and disability).

It is everyone’s responsibility to stop bullying. Each group has individual responsibilities that must be adhered to if bullying is to be tackled effectively.

What the school will do

• Take all bullying problems seriously
• Investigate incidents as thoroughly and promptly as possible
• Ensure that bullies and victims, in the first instance, are interviewed separately
• Wherever possible obtain information from witnesses
• Keep records of reported incidents on the School Information Management System – Anti-bullying Tracker – checked daily by the pastoral team
• Encourage the bully and the bullied to come to a resolution
• Implement appropriate sanctions
• Inform parents/carers of the bullies and the bullied
• Provide a clear strategy for managing future incidents
• Promote a zero tolerance of this issue within the student and staff body.

Our strategies for preventing bullying

All staff will clearly state that bullying is unacceptable behaviour at Ridgewood School. Teasing and other ‘minor’ incidents should be discouraged. We will actively promote tolerance and respect for difference and diversity through:

• Assemblies
• Tutor group activities
• PSHCE programmes
• Displays
• School council discussions
• Peer mentoring support
• Liaison with external agencies
• Duty staff to monitor students’ behaviour
• Lunchtime supervisors to monitor students during social time
• Delivery of restorative practice
• Effective safeguarding routines
• Termly anti-bullying surveys.

Sanctions against bullying

• Loss of privileges e.g. banned from clubs or trips
• Daily report, to monitor positive and negative behaviours
• Subject displacement e.g. Star Centre referral
• Contract code of conduct between those involved (with consequences clearly outlined)
• Support group approach
• Restorative support/mediation may be used in order to reach an amicable solution (for low level incidents)
• Sanctions: detention, formal warnings may be issued, suspension (escalating according to seriousness), involvement with external agencies
• For severe incidents that go against Child Protection or Criminal Law Procedures, the school will consider whether to report bullies to outside authorities.