Review Date: Spring 2014
Next Review Date: Spring 2015
Person in charge: Headteacher/ICT Co-ordinator
Rationale
In our school we believe that all members of our school community have the right to be treated with respect in a supportive, caring and safe environment. This policy is designed to be read alongside the Anti Bullying, Behaviour and ICT policies.
In line with the above policies we believe that every individual in our school community has a duty to report all incidents of bullying whether it happens to themselves or to another person.
What is Cyber Bullying
There are many types of cyber bullying the main ones are listed below:
- Text messages including sending messages via Blue tooth.
- Picture or Video clips sent to make the victim feel threatened or embarrassed
- Mobile phone calls including silent calls and making calls from another person’s phone
- E mails
- Chatroom Bullying
- Instant Messaging
- Bullying via websites
- Social networking
Technology allows the user to bully anonymously or from an unknown location 24hrs a day. Cyber bullying leaves no physical scars so it is perhaps less evident to a parent or teacher but it is highly intrusive to the victim often taking place within the safety of their own home.
At Wessington Primary School we view these types of bullying in the same light as any other type of bullying and will work with all persons involved to prevent the reoccurrence of actions.
Prevention of Cyber Bullying
At Wessington Primary School we recognise that we need to teach our pupils to use technology safely and to know about the risks and consequences of misusing them.
- On an annual basis we will issue to parents and pupils a safe internet use policy that clearly sets out the roles and responsibilities for the use of IT equipment in school and how it will be monitored.
- As part of the IT and PSHE curriculum we will teach pupils about safe Internet use and what to do if cyber bullying occurs.
- We will provide information for parents on e Communication standards and practises in school
- Where possible we will encourage pupils to use the VLE so that all messages can be monitored and sites visited subject to the appropriate firewall
- Specific websites will be blocked via the firewall i.e. facebook, twitter etc.
Where Bullying Occurs
When cyber bullying occurs it will be recorded and reported in line with the procedures set out in the Anti Bullying Policy. This will include imposing restrictions on the use of equipment in school and may result in all access to the internet being stopped.
Monitoring
All incidents of bullying will be recorded by the head teacher and reported on a termly basis to Governors as part of the Head teacher report.
On an annual basis this policy will be reviewed by Governors as part of their annual review of Policies