At Downsell Primary School, children are encouraged to be kind and respectful to each other. This is done through explicit teaching and modelling as well as through natural occurring teaching opportunities.  

Here at Downsell, we encourage our children to understand the difference between rude, mean and bullying behaviours. We have taken guidance from the DfE and Anti-Bullying Alliance as to our defintion of bullying. Our anti-bullying policy sets out the definition of rude, mean and bullying behaviours:

• When someone says or does something unintentionally hurtful and they do it once, that’s rude.
• When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful and they do it once, that’s mean.
• When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful and they keep doing it even when you tell them to stop or show them you’re upset - that’s bullying.

We believe that bullying of any kind is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our school. We take all incidents of bullying seriously. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying. We believe that where bullying is challenged effectively pupils will feel safe and happy.
Everybody has the right to be treated with respect and pupils who are bullying others need to be supported to learn and understand how their behaviour has an impact on others, as well as supported to change their behaviours.

At any school there are sometimes incidents of bullying, where children are deliberately and repetitively hurtful towards others, it is important for all concerned that this is dealt with swiftly and firmly, in accordance with our school anti-bullying policy.

At the heart of our behaviour policy and our anti-bullying policy, is the believe that all children have the right to be protected from physical, emotional and mental violence; a right enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children also have the right to learn, live, travel and play in a safe environment where they can thrive and achieve their full potential.

This academic year we have focussed on particular areas to support our work on anti-bullying. This is set out in our anti-bullying strategy document:

	Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy	[pdf 691KB]
	Anti-Bullying Strategy	[pdf 269KB]
	DfE	Link
	guidance from the DfE
	Anti-Bullying Alliance	Link