Bullying Information

Someone being mean to you isn’t always the same as someone bullying you. We can all make mistakes or sometimes say and do unkind things. We still don’t want this behaviour in school but it may not be ‘bullying’.​

If someone is mean to you on a regular basis, particularly if you haven’t done anything to upset them then this could be bullying. You must talk to your teacher or another adult you trust. Explain that this isn’t just a ‘one-off’ but something that happens a lot.

If you think you are being bullied talk to someone - you are not alone!

 

Being bullied can be a big deal.

It can make you feel unhappy, lonely or make you so angry that you act badly and end up getting told off.  It can also make you feel like you’re not worth helping. This isn’t true. We want to help. Lets work together to stop bullying in our school.

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What will the teacher do?

At DJPA we use a restorative justice approach to resolve bullying issues.

Restorative approaches allow the victim to tell people how they feel, and for those responsible to acknowledge the impact of their actions and take steps to put it right.​

Adults will ask these questions to start with:

  • What happened?
  • How did it make you feel?
  • What have you thought about it since?

 

Will things get worse if I ‘tell’?

The teacher will tell the person or group bullying you that this is not acceptable and ask them for ideas to solve the situation.

If they come back to you and are mean again you must tell your teacher straight away.

They will be spoken to again and hopefully this should stop things getting any worse.

 

Should I tell my parents?

It’s always a good idea to talk to your parents if you are having problems in school. Remember to talk to an adult in school and an adult at home. Your teacher may want to talk to your parents too, just to help get the problem sorted.

 

Should I forgive a bully?

This can be really hard to do, but if a bully stops hurting you and is sorry, it is good to try to forgive them. Some bullies are mean because they are upset themselves. Showing them forgiveness could help them too.

 

There are 4 main ways you could be bullied or bully someone:​

  • Physical -  hitting, kicking etc.
  • Verbal - name calling or making threats
  • Relational - ignoring someone or  spreading rumours about them
  • Cyber - sending nasty texts or  messages on social media

 

What part will you play?​

  • The ringleader - Starting and leading the bullying but not always the person ‘doing’ the bullying.
  • The target - The person who is being bullied.
  • Assistant - Actively involved in ‘doing’ the bullying.
  • Reinforcer - Supports the bullying, might laugh or encourage other people to carry on what is going on.
  • Outsider - Ignores any bullying and doesn’t want to get involved.
  • Defender - Stands up for someone being bullied.  Knows that bullying is wrong and feels confident enough to do something about it. This might involve talking to an adult in school