1. School Name The Scale of the Problem
Anti-Bullying Campaign
The Scale of the Problem
Findings in a 2012 survey of 4,500 Irish 10-year-olds show that 12% (about three per class) say they were bullied “about weekly”
International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement, led in Ireland by Dr Emer Eivers, Educational Research Centre, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra - (Irish Examiner, 27/12/2012)
55% of young people claim to have been bullied
(UNICEF Report: Changing the Future, 2012)
To fulfil our “Duty of Care” towards our pupils
a solution must be found to the problem of bullying
before those involved leave primary school. 1

2. What is bullying? It is any behaviour that is (a) deliberate, (b) hurtful and (c) repeated over time, e.g.
Unwelcome glances, sniggering, name calling, making fun of . . .
Slagging/teasing about characteristics, background, family . . .
Spreading rumours or lies about someone
Abusive telephone calls or text messages
Putting unwelcome messages/pictures on Internet sites
Isolation/exclusion from group activity
Intimidation, verbal or through body language
Forcing someone to do things they do not want to do
Physical aggression - pushing, tripping, hitting, punching . . .
Hiding, interfering with, taking or damaging property
Extortion of money or property
If any combination of these happens repeatedly to a pupil, whatever else you might call it, s/he is being bullied.

3. Things that may indicate bullying:
Anxiety about travelling to and from school, unwillingness to go to school, refusal to attend, mitching.
Deterioration in motivation, concentration, workrate, educational performance or all of these.
Changes in mood - loss of confidence, growing shyness, withdrawal.
Unexplained changes in behaviour - stammering, displays of anger, aggressive behaviour, out of character comments.
Pattern of physical illnesses, stomach/bowel disorders, loss of appetite, vomiting, loss of sleep, nightmares (reported by parents).
Possessions missing or damaged, requests for money.
Unexplained bruising, cuts or other injury or damaged clothing.
Reluctance/refusal to say what is troubling her/him.
Anyone who thinks any of these apply to a pupil should not presume it is just “a stage s/he is at.” It may be more than that.

4. Psychological impact of bullying:
Feelings of insecurity, nervousness
Damage to self-confidence, withdrawal
Lowering of self-esteem, unhappiness with self
Unexplained mood changes, mood swings
Behaviour changes, uncharacteristic aggression
Stress/distress, inability to cope, coming late to school, mitching
Extreme anxiety/panic attacks, leaving the school, mitching
Nervous breakdown, inability to function
Depression requiring psychiatric intervention
Self-Harm by various means including cutting
Death by Suicide
Bullied pupils feel hurt, humiliated and isolated and do not understand what is really happening to them or why.

5. Finding a Solution
To bring a bullying situation to an end two things are needed:
(a) Teachers need to know about the specific bullying situation (and about the nature and impact of bullying in general)
(b) Teachers need to know what to do about the specific situation (to change the behaviour of the bullying child so the bullying stops)
Implementing a new anti-bullying policy that is in line with the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools” 2013, (which must be developed this year and will be mandatory from next year) can empower you, your staff and your school fulfil both these needs! 5

6. To a teacher this scene does not look like bullying . . .
Practical Problem 1
To a teacher this scene does not look like bullying . . .
But if you knew that these pupils target the girl hurtfully every day, subtly in the classroom and hidden by activity in the school yard (and teachers on “yard-duty,” may change every day) you would realise that they are bullying her How can you know this?

7. Bullying is (a) Deliberate (b) Repeated (c) Hurtful Behaviour
Practical Problem 2
Pupils do not know that
Bullying is (a) Deliberate (b) Repeated (c) Hurtful Behaviour
If all three aspects are not present together the behaviour may be unfair or mean but it is not bullying
If all three aspects are present together, whatever else the behaviour might be called it is bullying and must be dealt with as such
Pupils who see bullying do not know how hurtful it is for targeted pupils, especially if they deliberately conceal the hurt
Pupils who see it do not understand the psychological damage bullying does - psychologists are only coming to realise this now
Pupils often cannot distinguish between bullying and either horseplay or what they consider to be relatively harmless “messing”
Pupils are there all day. If they could identify bullying by its three characteristics and understand how serious and damaging it is they could report it to teachers who could then deal with it.

8. Towards solving Practical Problems 1 and 2
“Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools” 2013, under the heading “Key Principles of Best Practice,” states:
5.2.2 The main aims of an anti-bullying policy are as follows:
(iii) To raise awareness amongst the entire school community (including school management, teachers, pupils, parents, volunteers etc.) that bullying is unacceptable behaviour;
6.5.1 Every school must document in its anti-bullying policy the specific education and prevention strategies that the school will implement.
Effective practice includes prevention and awareness raising measures across all aspects of bullying In particular, such strategies need to build empathy, respect and resilience in pupils.
Our Anti-Bullying Campaign gives effect to this key principle,
enabling schools to fully satisfy their “Duty of Care”
in relation to awareness-raising about bullying among pupils.

9. Solution to Practical Problems 1 & 2
Strand 1: Sample Awareness Raising exercises:
In addition to SPHE - about one event per month:
Exercise 1: Worksheet - “Recognising Bullying”
Exercise 8: Worksheet - “Snakes and Ladders”
Exercise 10: “Words Hurt - Don’t Be a Part of it” a video clip that cleverly shows words really can hurt -

10. Solution to Practical Problems 1 & 2
Strand 1: Sample Awareness Raising exercises:
In addition to SPHE – about one event per month:
Exercise 1: Worksheet - “Recognising Bullying”
Exercise 8: Worksheet - “Snakes and Ladders”
Exercise 10: “Words Hurt - Don’t Be a Part of it” a video clip that cleverly shows words really can hurt -
Exercise 19: “The Price of Silence” - a short video clip on the role of bystanders in bullying situations -

11. Solution to Practical Problems 1 & 2
Strand 1: Sample Awareness Raising exercises:
In addition to SPHE – about one event per month:
Exercise 1: Worksheet - “Recognising Bullying”
Exercise 8: Worksheet - “Snakes and Ladders”
Exercise 10: “Words Hurt - Don’t Be a Part of it” a video clip that cleverly shows words really can hurt -
Exercise 19: “The Price of Silence” - a short video clip on the role of bystanders in bullying situations -
Exercise 6: Anti-Bullying Slogan Competition with a lot of intercom publicity before, during and after, using bordered sheets suitable for lamination

12. . . . bullying is unfair and that’s a fact!
Anti-bullying messages like these, from pupil to pupil, when placed around the school are powerful and persuasive over time. 12

13. Solution to Practical Problems 1 & 2
Strand 1: A person who wants to bully will find a way:
There are many different types of bullying behaviour including:
Physical
Verbal
Written
Social
Racist
Extortion
Coercion
Intimidation
Isolation
Cyber-bullying
A person who has decided not to bully others at all,
(like the majority of children or indeed adults)
will not get involved in racist bullying, cyber-bullying etc.!
Awareness Raising exercises seek to develop a culture where a pupil’s bullying intent is replaced by a more respectful disposition.
This lessens the need to develop specific strategies
for specific bullying behaviours like cyber-bullying.

14. A way must be found to avoid punishment
Practical Problem 3
While pupils are now in a position to report bullying behaviour punishment can still undermine an effective response to bullying
Pupils tend to take the side of pupils against any teacher who threatens or resorts to punishment, even for bullying
Punishment makes reporting of bullying by observers less likely - punishment is the foundation stone of the “no ratting” culture
Punishment can lead to a further negative backlash for the targeted pupils, either from the original bullying pupils or from peers
Punishment can simply lead to a change in (a) the kind of bullying, (b) the location of bullying, (c) the pupil targeted so the bullying continues and efforts to bring it to an end fail.
A way must be found to avoid punishment and so end the “no ratting” culture - so pupils report bullying behaviour.
A way must be found to avoid punishment
but yet effectively bring the bullying to an end.

15. Our Anti-Bullying Campaign gives effect to these key principles,
“Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools” 2013, under the heading “Key Principles of Best Practice,” states:
6.8.1 A consistent and clear approach to dealing with bullying when it occurs is essential to effective practice [using] established intervention strategies and ensuring consistent recording, investigation and follow up of bullying behaviour.
School authorities must ensure that the school has clear procedures for investigating and dealing with bullying . . .
. . . must be consistent with the following approach:
(i) The primary aim for the relevant teacher in investigating and dealing with bullying is to resolve any issues and to restore, as far as is practicable, the relationships of the parties involved (rather than to apportion blame).
Our Anti-Bullying Campaign gives effect to these key principles,
enabling schools to fully satisfy their “Duty of Care”
in relation to bullying among pupils.

16. 6 Steps to “Reform, not Blame”
Solution to Problem 3
6 Steps to “Reform, not Blame”
In most cases this promise is faithfully honoured
If it is broken a similar promise is countersigned by parents
A second promise is almost never broken - a “win-win-win” outcome

17. Anti-Bullying Campaign Strand 2: Dealing with Incidents - Summary
The Anti-Bullying Campaign response offers a “win-win” resolution in almost all cases
Code of Behaviour Ladder of Referral
In a tiny number of cases second promise is broken Return to Ladder of Referral
Expulsion?
Suspension
Phase 2: In return for honesty and keeping 2nd promise
pupil gets
no confidentiality
but no blame or sanction
Almost all keep first or second promise and so avoid blame or sanction through ladder of referral
Meeting(s) with parents
Contact parents
If Promise is broken parents/staff told but still no return to ladder of referral
Principal?
Deputy Principal?
Phase 1: In return for honesty and keeping 1st promise
pupil gets
confidentiality
and no blame or sanction
Most keep first promise so by agreement parents & Principal do not need to know or act
Minor Sanctions(s)
Warning(s)
Correction
Awareness Raising Strand Ongoing Throughout School

18. Bullying is not ended by asking the targeted pupil to be tougher or less quiet (why should s/he have to, in order to be safe?) but by changing the attitude and behaviour of bullying pupils.
It is achieved by changing the whole school culture to one where bullying is Recognised, Rejected and Reported by pupils who now support the targeted pupil, not the bullying pupil.

19. Anti-Bullying Campaign - Overall Summary
Bullying is repeated targeted hurtful behaviour reflecting a power imbalance between those involved
In class bullying is secretive When teachers on yard duty change every day they cannot see the Repetition that indicates “Bullying”
Pupils see all this behaviour so we need them to report it SO
Anti-Bullying Campaign - Strand 1 Raising Awareness /Understanding Pupils Now Recognise Bullying Pupils Now Reject Bullying
BUT
They don’t Recognise it
they don’t Understand it so they don’t Report it SO
Anti-Bullying Campaign - Strand 2 A “Reform, not Blame” Approach
Pupils see this as Fair and Just
Pupils Now Report the Bullying
BUT
Punishment is an Obstacle so they still don’t Report it
AND
There is No Resolution
AND
The bullying continues, leading
to misery, low self-esteem, depression,
self harm . . .
AND
Our “Reform, Not Blame” Response offers “win-win” resolution for everyone involved 19

20. Anti-Bullying Campaign - Costs
What does it cost to implement this programme?
“Awareness Raising” Strand:
Exercises are self-explanatory for pupils - so teachers need no training to take them into class and ask pupils to do them - no cost
Teachers can do these exercises with their own class groups or do them on a class-swap basis so no time is added to their working week - no cost
Resources are free. Photocopying can be done by secretarial staff at request of Coordinator overseeing the programme - photocopying cost
“Dealing with Incidents” Strand:
The school needs an Anti-Bullying Coordinator who
Organises regular pupil surveys (quick & easy) - small time-cost
Interviews a few alleged perpetrators of bullying behaviour per week (30 min standardised interviews) - this could be a big time-cost but
this is offset by time savings for Teachers, Deputy Principal and Principal whose involvement in dealing with bullying is reduced accordingly
Co-ordinator could be a Pastoral Care Post-Holder - covering any time-costs
Implementing This Whole Programme is Virtually Cost Free!