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Engaging Minds, Broadening Horizons

Anti-Bullying

At Seaham High School we endeavour to create a caring community in which all individuals are valued and feel safe.

We acknowledge that bullying happens but at Seaham High School we believe that it is possible to take action to help out not only the victims of bullying but bullies too, who are often very troubled individuals.

We seek to highlight the issue of bullying and to create a climate where students, staff and parents feel able to talk about bullying and being bullied and are confident that something will be done.

Bullying is addressed through a range of activities including:

  • PHSE lessons
  • Tutor group activities
  • Assemblies
  • Peer mentoring schemes

We hope that this preventative work will engender an atmosphere in which bullying is less likely to thrive.

It is the responsibility of all members of our school community – students, staff, parents and governors– to understand the issues around bullying and to take an active role in tackling the problem.

What if my child is being bullied?

Please visit our school website – www.seahamhighschool.com for further details, advice and guidance on Anti-bullying under the Students section. The website has a Google form where parents can report bullying to their child’s Year Manager - Click here to access this form. Students can also report bullying to:

What is Bullying?

From DFE “Preventing and Tackling Bullying”:

‘Bullying is behaviour by an individual or group, repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group either physically or emotionally. Bullying can take many forms (for instance, cyber-bullying via text messages or the internet), and is often motivated by prejudice against particular groups, for example on grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, special educational needs and disability, or because a child is adopted or has caring responsibilities.’

Things to look out for in victims of bullying:

  • Regularly feeling sick or unwell in the mornings.
  • Reluctance to make the journey to and from school.
  • Money or possessions going missing.
  • Clothes or school bag torn.
  • Wanting extra pocket money for no particular reason.
  • Unexplained cuts and bruises.
  • Taking different routes to school.
  • Unexplained behaviour changes, e.g. moody, bad-tempered, tearful.
  • Unhappiness.
  • Nightmares.
  • Not wanting to leave the house.
  • Reluctance to talk openly about school friends and playtimes.

Useful Websites and information:

www.childline.org.uk 

www.familylives.org.uk

Advice for parents and carers (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)

Contact has a helpline for families with disabled children - they can give advice on bullying issues. You can contact them on 0808 808 3555 and visit their website for more information

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) Provides help and advice on cyberbullying, the Centre maintains a website called Think U Know for children and young people, and parents and carers about staying safe online.

Internet Matters Provides regularly refreshed content to support parents and carers with all aspects of e-safety. Includes lots of advice on technology that can help you to protect your child online and helpful content relating to cyberbullying.

Kidscape Provide workshops for children that need support with bullying issues as well as a helpline for parents and carers

NSPCC and O2 have a free online safety helpline for parents and carers - 0808 800 5000

Red Balloon Learner Centres Red Balloon provide intensive, full-time education for children aged between 9 and 18 who feel unable to return to school because they have been severely bullied. There are Red Balloon Centres all over England, and they also have a programme of online support.

Welldoing is an independent, UK-wide directory of therapists and counsellors who are all members of reputable professional organisations. There is a separate search function for children and adolescents in need of therapists and counsellors. It also supplies information and advice in the areas of mental health, wellbeing and development. 

Counselling Directory provides a huge support network of counsellors, enabling visitors to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs.

Stop It Now. Confidential helpline about child sexual exploitation https://www.stopitnow.org/

YoungMinds parent helpline: https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-helpline/

PACE (Parents Against Child Exploitation) have a parent helpline that can provide advice about online safety https://paceuk.info/for-parents/telephone-support/

Report Harmful Content Online (provided by the UK Safer Internet Centre and South West Grid for Learning) have a website which has support about reporting content: https://reportharmfulcontent.com/

Anti-bullying alliance - An information tool for parents and carers

 

 

If you do not feel comfortable speaking to your form tutor, you can report your concern here. Alternatively please email antibullying@seahamhighschool.com

If you have any concerns over bullying please complete the Google form at the link below. This will alert your child's year manager and Miss. Thynne (Head of Student Services)

The following staff have responsibility for Safeguarding

  • Lynn Whitehead Designated Safeguarding Lead Assistant Headteacher
  • Mr Geoff Lumsdon Headteacher
  • Mr James Henderson Deputy Headteacher