Anti - Bullying Policy

We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our students so that they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere.

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our academy. If bullying does occur, all students should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively.

Everyone has a duty to care, observe, monitor and report any behavior, conversation or action they suspect.

What is bullying?
Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim.

Bullying can be:

• Emotional: being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting, threatening gesture.
• Physical : pushing, kicking hitting, punching or any use of violence.
• Racist : racial taunts, gestures, tribalism.
• Sexual : unwanted physical contact or sexual abusive comments.
• Verbal : name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumors, teasing Phone threats : by text messaging
  and calls
• Technology : Misuse of Cameras and video facilities.

Sexual bullying –
This is bullying behavior that has a specific sexual dimension or a sexual dynamic and it may be physical, verbal or non-verbal or psychological.

Behaviors may involve suggestive sexual comments or innuendo including offensive comments about sexual reputation; or using sexual language that is designed to subordinate, humiliate or intimidate.

The school will respond to and prevent this type of bullying.

Bullying around Tribe / Race, Religion or Culture
We recognize our Academy needs to be a tolerant and diverse community where tribalism and bullying should have no place. Every child deserves respect and a safe learning environment whatever their racial, tribal or religious background and every child need to learn that modern society values diversity and mutual respect.

No matter what form bullying takes, it damages both the victim and the bully to differing extents. We will make use of the best information and practices available to address this problem.

Preventing Bullying
The Academy will take every opportunity to demonstrate to students through the curriculum programmes, displays, assemblies and by example, that it is totally opposed to bullying.

Signs and Symptoms of Bullying.
A child may indicate by signs or behavior that he or she is being bullied. Adults should be aware of these possible signs and that they should investigate if a child:

• It unwilling to go to school (school phobic)
• Becomes withdrawn, anxious or lacking in confidence
• Cries themselves to sleep at night or has nightmares
• Feels ill in the morning
• Begins to do poorly in school work
• Comes home with clothes torn or books damaged
• Has unexplained cuts or bruises
• Becomes aggressive, disruptive or unreasonable

These signs and behaviors could indicate other problems, but bullying should be considered a possibility and should be investigated.

Dealing with bullying:

• Don’t ignore it – Listen to all accounts of the incidents
• Adopt a problem-solving approach that encourages students to find solutions rather than simply justify themselves
• Make regular follow-up to ensure that bullying has not resumed