Royal & Prior Comprehensive School

Bullying

Bullying is repeated aggression conducted by an individual or a group against others - such aggressive behaviour may be verbal, psychological or physical. Bullying also includes harassment, which has been defined as:

1. Harassment: any form of unwanted conduct in relation to any of the nine grounds named in the equality legislation that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading or offensive environment for the victim.

2. Sexual harassment: any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading or offensive environment for the victim.

Types of behaviour involved  and the means of bullying are constantly changing and the following list of types of bullying behaviour: • Physical aggression • Damage to property • Extortion • Intimidation • Gestures • Silent telephone/mobile phone calls • Abusive telephone/mobile phone calls • Abusive text messages • Abusive email/website messages • The production, display or circulation of written words, pictures or other materials aimed at intimidating another person • Isolation & exclusion • Harassment based on any of the nine grounds in the equality legislation e.g. sexual harassment, homophobic bullying, racist bullying etc. • Name calling • Slagging • A combination of any of the types listed.

The Royal & Prior has zero tolerance to bullying and actively promotes an anti-bullying strategy. The full school policy is given here: