Bullying

At Brunel Field Primary School, we take all reports of bullying seriously. We define bullying as behaviour that is deliberately hurtful, repeated and involves an imbalance of power.

When an incident of potential bullying is reported, the first step is an initial investigation by school staff, who gather information from all parties involved to understand what has happened. This early investigation helps the school determine whether the behaviour fits our bullying definition and ensures that parents/carers of all pupils involved are informed.

If the behaviour is judged to be bullying, the school puts in place a formal bullying support plan tailored to the situation. This plan outlines the support and monitoring arrangements for both the pupil experiencing bullying and the pupil exhibiting it, with clear expectations about behaviour and steps to address the issue.

Throughout the intervention, regular check-ins with parents/carers are scheduled so that progress can be reviewed and any further concerns addressed. These reviews continue until there has been a sustained period (typically a month) with no further incidents, at which point the active process is formally concluded. This structured approach ensures transparency, ongoing communication, and a clear pathway to support pupils and resolve bullying behaviour effectively.

The child who is showing bullying behaviours may well need additional support. It is not helpful to use the language of "victim" and "perpetrator" when responding to bullying incidents, as situations are often very complex and require an open, honest and sensitive approach. We will not refer to children as “bullies” or to any child as “a bully”.

If the behaviour is judged to be unkind actions, but not bullying, all parties will still be supported in line with our positive behaviour policies. The parents of other children potentially involved in unkind behaviours will be informed of the situation as deemed appropriate by members of school staff. This will include how they can best support their child moving forwards.

For full details, please refer to our anti-bullying policy, which is available here.

Anti-Bullying: FAQs

We define bullying as behaviour that is deliberate, repeated, and involves an imbalance of power. Not all unkind or upsetting behaviour is bullying, but all concerns raised by pupils or parents are taken seriously and investigated.

When a concern is reported, school staff will gather information from the pupils involved and speak with relevant staff to understand what has happened. Parents/carers are informed that a concern has been raised and are kept aware of the steps being taken.

If the behaviour is confirmed as bullying, parents/carers of all pupils involved are informed clearly. The school, in consultation with senior staff, puts a formal support and monitoring plan in place. This plan outlines the actions being taken, expectations for behaviour, and how pupils will be supported.

When bullying is confirmed, communication with parents becomes more structured and regular. The school will provide updates through agreed check-ins to review progress and ensure the bullying behaviour has stopped. This continues until there has been a sustained period with no further incidents.

The process continues for as long as needed to ensure the bullying behaviour has stopped. Typically, monitoring remains in place for a sustained period (usually around a month) with no further incidents before the process is formally concluded.

If a bullying incident relates to a protected characteristic, it is also recorded and reviewed as an equalities incident, in line with the school’s equality duties.

Parents/carers should contact their child’s class teacher in the first instance. If concerns persist, they may be escalated to a phase leader or a member of the senior leadership team.