Bí Cineálta Policy -to prevent and address Bullying Behaviour

 

Bí Cineálta Policy to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour

The Board of Management of St. Patrick’s Girls National School has adopted the following policy to prevent and address bullying behaviour.

This policy fully complies with the requirements of Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2024.

The board of management acknowledges that bullying behaviour interferes with the rights of the child as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. We all, as a school community, have a responsibility to work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour and to deal with the negative impact of bullying behaviour.

We are committed to ensuring that all students who attend our school are kept safe from harm and that the wellbeing of our students is at the forefront of everything that we do. We recognise the negative impact that bullying behaviour can have on the lives of our students and we are fully committed to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour.

We confirm that we will, in accordance with our obligations under equality legislation, take all such steps that are reasonably practicable to prevent the harassment of students or staff on any of the nine grounds specified: gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community.

Definition of bullying

  • Bullying  is targeted behaviour, online or offline that causes harm. 
  • The harm caused can be physical, social and/or emotional in nature.
  • Bullying behaviour is repeated over time and involves an imbalance of power in relationships between two people or groups of people in society. 
  • The detailed definition is provided in Chapter 2 of the Bí Cineálta procedures.

The harm can be 

 Physical ( eg: personal injury, damage to or loss of property) 

 Social: ( eg: withdrawal, loneliness, exclusion) 

 Emotional: (eg: low self esteem, depression, anxiety) A one-off instance of negative behaviour towards a student is not bullying behaviour. However, a single hurtful message posted on social media can be considered bullying behaviour as it may be visible to a wide audience and has a high likelihood of being shared multiple times and so becomes a repeated behaviour. 

 

Behaviour that is not bullying behaviour:

  • If a student experiences repeated harm from another student, but the harm was unintentional, it is not considered bullying. However, it must still be dealt with according to the school’s code of behaviour. 
  • Some students with special educational needs may have social communication difficulties which may make them communicate their needs through behaviours that can hurt themselves or others. It is important to note that these behaviours are not deliberate or planned, but in certain situations, they are an automatic response which they cannot control. 
  • Disagreements between students are not considered bullying unless it involves deliberate and repeated attempts to cause distress, exclude or create dislike by others. 

 

Section A: Development/review of our Bí Cineálta policy to prevent and address bullying behaviour

All members of our school community were provided with the opportunity to input into the development/review of this policy.

 

Date consulted Method of consultation
School Staff   14th March 2025

  29th April 2025

Half Day School Closure

Item on the Agenda for the Staff Meeting

Students 28th March 2025 Questionnaire Released to Pupils –Closed on 29th April 2025 
Parents 28th March 2025 Questionnaire Released to Parents –Closed on 29th April 2025
Board of Management 17th June 2025 Board of Management Meeting-review new policy draft-leading to consultation and final ratification after amendments made where necessary
Wider school community as appropriate, for example, bus drivers Consultation as deemed necessary
Date policy was approved:   17th June 2025
Date policy was last reviewed: Date of Approval

 

Section B: Preventing Bullying Behaviour

Prevention Strategies

In line with Chapter 5 of the Bí Cineálta: Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools, this school is committed to proactive prevention of bullying behaviour of all types, including online bullying, homophobic and transphobic bullying, racist bullying, sexist bullying, and sexual harassment. Our prevention strategies include:

1. Whole-School Approach

Embedding a culture of kindness, respect, and inclusion across all school policies and activities

Ensuring all members of the school community are aware of their roles in promoting a positive school climate.

2. Education and Awareness

Regular SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education) lessons focused on relationships, identity, online safety, and diversity.

Use of specific programmes such as Friendship Week, Internet Safety Week, and Stand Up Awareness Week to promote inclusion and respect for all.

Classroom discussions and activities that promote empathy, understanding, and critical thinking around bullying and discrimination.

3. Explicit Teaching and Reinforcement

Teaching pupils about the types of bullying behaviour, including cyberbullying, homophobic/transphobic bullying, racism, and sexism.

Reinforcement of expected behaviour through school assemblies, student council activities, and yard/peer mentoring programmes.

4. Safe and Supportive School Environment

Regular supervision in areas such as corridors and yards.

Anonymous reporting systems or worry boxes to allow students to report bullying without fear.

Encouragement of bystander intervention, empowering students to act safely when they witness bullying.

5. Staff Training and Support

Ongoing professional development for staff to identify, prevent, and respond to all forms of bullying.

Staff use of restorative practices to support relationship building and conflict resolution.

6. Policy Integration

Integrating anti-bullying prevention strategies into the Code of Behaviour, Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), and SPHE/RSE curriculum.

Regular policy review and consultation with the school community, including students, parents, and staff.




Supervision and Monitoring of Pupils – Policy Statement

In accordance with Chapter 5 of the Bí Cineálta: Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools, our school is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment by implementing the following supervision and monitoring practices:

Active Supervision:

Staff are assigned specific supervision duties during break times, in classrooms, corridors, the school yard, toilets, and other high-risk areas. Supervision is proactive and vigilant, aimed at detecting early signs of bullying behaviour.

Identification of Hotspots:

Areas where bullying is more likely to occur are identified and reviewed regularly. These “hotspots” receive increased supervision and may include corridors, cloakrooms, playgrounds, and school transport areas.

Structured Breaktime Activities:

The school encourages participation in inclusive, well-organised activities during breaktimes (e.g. playground games, clubs) to promote positive peer relationships and reduce unsupervised free time.

Consistent Staff Communication:

All staff members, including supply teachers and teaching assistants, are informed of their supervision duties. Staff share relevant information concerning pupil behaviour and well-being in a timely manner.

Incident Reporting and Monitoring:

All incidents or concerns relating to bullying are documented using the official reporting templates (as outlined in Appendix 3 of the Bí Cineálta procedures). Reports are regularly reviewed to monitor trends and ensure appropriate action is taken.

Pupil Involvement:

Pupils are actively encouraged to report any bullying they experience or witness. The school fosters a culture of kindness and respect through initiatives such as peer mentors, student councils, and anti-bullying campaigns.

Use of Technology (where applicable):

CCTV may be used in accordance with the school’s data protection policy to assist in the monitoring of key communal areas, helping to support supervision where appropriate.

These strategies are designed to ensure that bullying behaviour is prevented, detected early, and responded to effectively, thereby supporting the well-being and safety of all pupils.

Section C: Addressing Bullying Behaviour

The teacher(s) with responsibility for addressing bullying behaviour is (are) as follows: 

  • The class teacher will oversee recording of bullying reports for students in their class – this includes using the procedure guidelines to investigate reports of bullying and reporting to principal or deputy principal in order to record bullying behaviour on the correct form on Aladdin. 
  • Class teacher will follow up after twenty days to investigate if bullying has ceased. 
  • All staff will be vigilant to bullying behaviour. 
  • Principal will inform the Board of Management of incidents of bullying. 

When bullying behaviour occurs, the school will:

  • ensure that the student experiencing bullying behaviour is heard and reassured
  • seek to ensure the privacy of those involved
  • conduct all conversations with sensitivity
  • consider the age and ability of those involved
  • listen to the views of the student who is experiencing the bullying behaviour as to how best to address the situation
  • take action in a timely manner
  • inform parents of those involved

 

Identifying if Bullying Behaviour has Occurred: 

 

To determine whether the behaviour reported is bullying behaviour we will consider the following questions:

1. Is the behaviour targeted at a specific student or group of students?

2.Is the behaviour intended to cause physical, social or emotional harm?

3. Is the behaviour repeated?

 If the answer to each of the questions above is yes, then the behaviour is bullying behaviour and the behaviour should be addressed using the Bí Cineálta procedures. If the answer to any of the questions is no, then the behaviour is not bullying behaviour and the teacher should refer to the schools Code of Behaviour. 

Note: One off incidents may be considered bullying in certain circumstances. A single hurtful message posted on social media can be considered bullying behaviour as it has a high likelihood of being shared multiple times and thus becomes a repeated behaviour.

 

 When identifying if bullying behaviour has occurred the school will consider what, where, when and why? 

  • If a group of students is involved, each student should be engaged with individually at first.
  • Thereafter, all students involved can be met as a group, if appropriate. At the group meeting,  each student should be asked for their account of what happened.
  • Each student should be supported as appropriate, following the group meeting. 
  • It may be helpful to ask the students involved to write down their account of the incident(s).

 

 A school is not expected to deal with bullying behaviour that occurs when students are not under the care or responsibility of the school. However, where this bullying behaviour has an impact in school, schools are required to support the students involved. 

 

Determining if bullying behaviour has ceased:

  • Teachers must engage with the student and their parents again no more than 20 school days after the initial engagement to review progress. Factors to consider in the review include: – the nature of the bullying – the effectiveness of strategies use to address the bullying behaviour – the relationship between the students involved
  • The date that bullying behaviour has ceased should be recorded. 
  • Any engagement with external services should be noted. 
  • Ongoing supervision and support may be needed for the students involved. 
  • If the bullying behaviour has not ceased, the teacher should review the strategies use in consultation with the students involved and their parents and a timeline agreed for further engagement. 
  • Where it becomes clear that the student who is displaying the bullying behaviour is continuing to display the behaviour, then the school should consider using the strategies to deal with inappropriate behaviour as provided for within the school’s Code of Behaviour 
  • If disciplinary sanctions are considered, this is a matter between the relevant student, their parents and school. 
  • If a parent is not satisfied with how bullying behaviour has been addressed by the school, in accordance with these procedures, they should be referred to the school complaints procedure. 
  • In the event that a student and/or parent is dissatisfied following the complaints procedure, they may make a complaint to the Ombudsman for children. 

 

Requests to take no action: 

A student reporting bullying behaviour may ask that a member of staff does nothing about the behaviour other than ‘look out’ for them. The student may not want to be identified as having 8 told someone about the bullying behaviour. They may feel that telling someone might make things more difficult for them. 

Where this occurs, it is important that the member of staff shows empathy to the student, deals with the matter sensitively and speaks with the student to work out together what steps can be taken to address the matter and how their parents will be informed of the situation. It is important that the student who has experienced bullying behaviour feels safe. Parents may also make schools aware of bullying behaviour that has occurred and specifically request that the school take no action. 

Parents should put this request in writing to the school or be facilitated to do so where there are literacy, digital literacy or language barriers. However, while acknowledging the parent’s request, schools may decide that, based on the circumstances, it is appropriate to address the bullying behaviour. 

Support: 

The school will use the following approaches to support those who experience, witness and display bullying behaviour. 

Supporting students who experience bullying: 

  • Rapid Response: Promptly investigate and resolve bullying incidents to halt the behaviour swiftly. 
  • Reassurance and Support: Affirm that the targeted student is not at fault, commend them for speaking up, and provide appropriate support. 
  • Parental Involvement: Inform and engage the parents or guardians of the affected student. 
  • Follow-Up: Conduct a review with the student and their parents 20 school days after the initial report to ensure the bullying has ceased. 
  • Confidence Building: Encourage participation in activities that foster friendships and social skills, such as group work, team sports, and extracurricular programs. 
  • Skill Development: Offer guidance on assertiveness, emotional regulation, and anger management as needed.
  • Professional Support: Refer to counselling or external services like NEPS or Tusla when appropriate. 

 

Supporting students who witness bullying: 

  • Creating a ‘Telling’ Environment: Display a student-friendly version of the school’s Bí Cineálta policy in visible areas to encourage reporting. 
  • Education and Empowerment: Teach students about the importance of reporting bullying and provide clear guidance on how to do so. 
  • Acknowledgment: Recognise and praise students who report bullying incidents, reinforcing positive behaviour. 

Supporting students who display bullying behaviour: 

  • Relational approach: Focus on helping students understand the impact of their actions and work towards restoring relationships. 
  • Behavioural Interventions: Implement strategies aligned with the school’s Code of Behaviour to address and correct inappropriate behaviour.
  • Parental Engagement: Involve parents or guardians in developing and implementing strategies to address the behaviour. 
  • Monitoring and Review: Regularly assess the effectiveness of interventions and make necessary adjustments. 
  • External Support: Seek assistance from professionals or agencies when additional support is needed. 

Outside agency support

The school in certain circumstances may also seek the support and advice of TUSLA, EWO, NEPS, NCSE, second level school support services, HSE and any other agency deemed appropriate to support the school in dealing with incidents of bullying. All bullying behaviour will be recorded. This will include the type of behaviour, where and when it took place, and the date of the engagement with students and parents. The actions and supports agreed to address bullying behaviour will be documented. If the bullying behaviour is a child protection concern the matter will be addressed without delay in accordance with Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

All bullying behaviour will be recorded. This will include the type of behaviour, where and when it took place, and the date of the engagement with students and parents. The actions and supports agreed to address bullying behaviour will be documented. If the bullying behaviour is a child protection concern the matter will be addressed without delay in accordance with Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

Section D: Oversight

The principal will present an update on bullying behaviour at each board of management meeting. This update will include the number of incidents of bullying behaviour that have been reported since the last meeting, the number of ongoing incidents and the total number of incidents since the beginning of the school year. Where incidents of bullying behaviour have occurred, the principal will also provide a verbal update which will include where relevant, information relating to trends and patterns identified, strategies used to address the bullying behaviour and any wider strategies to prevent and address bullying behaviour where relevant. This update does not contain personal or identifying information. See Chapter 7 of the Bí Cineálta procedures.

This policy is available to our school community on the school’s website and in hard copy on request. A student friendly version of this policy is displayed in the school and is also available on our website and in hard copy on request.

This policy and its implementation will be reviewed, following input from our school community, each calendar year or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which this policy refers.

Signed: Signed Copy in Office  (Chairperson of board of management)

Signed:  Signed Copy in Office (Principal)