The Sky Academy is committed to creating a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment for all members of its community. This document sets out our policy in relation to the issue of bullying and hate crimes; it reflects our belief that bullying / hate crimes are not acceptable, under any circumstance, and that it is best prevented through the development of an academy ethos based on mutual respect, fairness, and equality.
At The Sky Academy, we will NOT tolerate bullying / hate crimes of any description. We recognise the rich diversity of our community, emphasising the importance of respecting and celebrating differences in ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and all other aspects of identity – no member of the academy community should ever feel threatened, intimidated, mocked, or abused.
The Sky Academy acknowledge that bullying / hate crimes are problematic to both the perpetrator and the victim alike and employs a range of support and management strategies to ensure that we operate in a pragmatic and non-oppressive way.
All students have an absolute right to be educated in a safe and secure environment, knowing that they will be protected from possibility of being harmed, mocked, or abused by other members of the school community.
There is no justification whatsoever for bullying / hate crime behaviour and it will not be tolerated in The Sky Academy in any form. We actively embrace individuality and absolutely reject the idea that differences including race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, poverty, ability, or appearance are ever reasons to be bullied.
Bullying / hate crime behaviour must be addressed in a positive and constructive way to provide opportunities for both the victim and the perpetrator, fostering growth and development of those involved.
Everyone has a role to play in the development of the academy’s ethos and we will call upon students, parents, carers, school staff and other professionals to share the responsibility for the strategies put in place.
To define bullying / hate crimes and outline its forms, with an emphasis on discrimination based on individual differences.
To promote an inclusive school ethos whereby each student is encouraged to realise their full potential within a safe and nurturing environment; an environment that celebrates diversity and fosters mutual respect among all students and staff.
To demonstrate The Sky Academy’s zero-tolerance towards bullying behaviour through clear and consistent procedures.
To ensure students learn in a supportive, caring, and safe environment where bullying / hate crimes cannot flourish and where all members of the school community can feel safe, respected, and valued.
To work as a community to help both the victim and the perpetrators of bullying / hate crimes.
This policy applies to all students, staff, parents, and other members of the school community. It pertains to behaviour presented on school premises – during school hours or school-sponsored activities – and extends to interactions on school trips, school transport, and any contact that occurs in digital spaces and online communities.
The Sky Academy are committed to embracing a holistic approach to student safety and wellbeing and will respond positively and appropriately to any information received about the welfare and conduct of its students outside of school.
The Academy Council will regularly review the Policy, which the Principal must consider, in determining measures to promote good behaviour and discipline.
The Principal and Senior Leadership Team have overall responsibility for the policy and its implementation. Cases will be managed according to the circumstances and will be recorded and analysed to see whether patterns emerge from the nature of the bullying / hate crime or the identity of the perpetrators.
When dealing with bullying issues we pay regard to the Prevent duty.
All Staff (teachers, support staff, and volunteers) share responsibility for ensuring that the policy and procedures are followed and consistently and fairly applied, without regard to ethnic origin, cultural differences, gender, disability or sexual orientation. Mutual support amongst all staff is essential for creating a high-quality and safe learning environment, promoting good behaviour and implementing the agreed policy and procedures consistently. They will ensure that pupils are listened to and that their concerns are appropriately addressed.
Parents and Carers will be encouraged to work in partnership with the Academy to ensure high standards of behaviour are maintained, both in and out of school, and that students respect both similarities and differences between themselves and other members of the school and wider community.
Students will be expected to take responsibility for their own behaviour and will be made fully aware of the school’s Anti-Bullying & Hate Crime Policy, the procedures arising from cases of bullying / hate crimes, and the rationale behind them. All students have a collective responsibility to ensure they are considerate towards one another and respectful of each other’s differences.
Bullying is defined as any intentional, repetitive behaviour, between an individual or group of people, intended to cause hurt, pain, suffering, humiliation, or degradation.
Hate crime is defined as any hate incident which constitutes a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person, as being motivated by hostility or prejudice.
Bullying / hate crime can be exhibited in various forms, inciting both physical and emotional harm, and is often, but not always, characterised as an imbalance of power or strength.
Bullying / hate crime can be outlined by four key characteristics:
Bullying / hate crime behaviour can be direct / indirect; simple / complex.
Direct bullying / hate crime includes physical threats, verbal insults or taunts, and directly contacting a person with obscene or insulting messages using, for example, mobile phones.
Emotional bullying / hate crime behaviour includes excluding someone from social groups, tormenting, threatening gestures.
Sexual bullying / hate crime behaviour includes unwanted physical contact or abusive comments, including homophobic references.
Indirect bullying / hate crime includes persistently ignoring a pupil so that they feel socially isolated, spreading malicious rumours or insults – often via social network sites on the internet – or writing offensive graffiti.
Cyber-bullying / hate crime uses technology to harm a person, group of people, or a relationship and can happen both inside and outside of school, at any time of the day or night.
Bullying / hate crime can happen to anyone.
This policy covers all types of bullying including:
All staff at The Sky Academy should be alert to the signs of bullying / hate crime and act promptly and firmly against it in accordance with school policy.
We understand that children often bully other children if they have been exposed to significant trauma and, therefore, perpetrators of bullying / hate crime equally need support.
A victim of bullying / hate crime may indicate / display signs or behaviours. These may include:
Symptoms may include:
These are examples, but this list is not exhaustive.
At The Sky Academy, we create an inclusive environment which promotes a culture of mutual respect for others, upheld by all members of our community.
The Sky Academy:
The Sky Academy recognises that there are particular times when, and places where, students may be more vulnerable to bullying / hate crime i.e. lunch and break times and the beginning and end of the school day. The Sky Academy, therefore, have ensured that, during these particular times, there is adequate supervision available to reduce the risk of bullying / hate crime incidents.
Students will be encouraged to talk to staff about incidents of bullying / hate crime which they experience or of which they may be aware. In these circumstances, staff will respond positively, take the expression of concern seriously, and ensure that the matter is fully investigated.
Parents who believe their children are the victim of bullying / hate crime should share their concerns with the Academy at the earliest opportunity. All expressions of concern will be taken seriously and investigated. Similarly, if parents believe their child is bullying others, this information should be shared with the Academy, so that the problem can be addressed, and a plan agreed to prevent further incidents.
Students, staff, and parents are encouraged to report any incidents of bullying / hate crime, whether carried out by another pupil or adult, to a member of school staff immediately. Whether victim, friends of the victim, bystanders, or parents, please report any known information to members of The Sky Academy staff.
Anonymous reporting will be facilitated where possible to ensure that students / staff feel confident when coming forward.
All students are encouraged to have at least two trusted adults with whom they feel they can report any forms of bullying / hate crime or abuse to.
The Sky Academy hope that, by reporting the problem in the first instance, it will become the first step in empowering the victim to overcome the bullying / hate crime through the defined stages that will then be put into action.
Any staff member who feels they are being bullied in the workplace – by staff member or pupil – can report their concern to their Line Manager or the Principal. If such managers are involved, staff members may contact the Chair of the Governing Body.
All reported incidents of bullying / hate crime will be documented, investigated, and recorded promptly. The investigation will be conducted professionally and discreetly to maintain the confidentiality and respect of all individuals involved. The findings will determine the necessary actions to address and rectify the situation, ensuring justice and support for the victim(s), along with guidance and support for growth for the perpetrator.
When bullying of a pupil has been reported, statements and contributing evidence will be taken from all relevant parties and stored on file. The Pastoral Team will consult other records of behaviour and cross-reference for patterns.
Once the incident has been substantiated, and understood as far as possible, it will then be recorded under the relevant categories within CPOMS and Bromcom.
In the first instance, incidents of poor behaviour that require action will be dealt with by the Keyworker(s). Serious incidents that need immediate action will be dealt with by a member of the Pastoral Team or the Senior Leadership Team.
Plans will be established for means of support; sanctioning; mediation, and monitoring, as appropriate, including communication between the parents / carers of students involved.
Consequences for those found guilty of bullying / hate crime will take a holistic approach, including supporting all parties through therapeutic means, but utilising suspensions and reflections where necessary.
Any related information retrieved, measures taken, and sanctions imposed must be recorded on the original incident log. Information will be used to inform The Pastoral Team of any trends in behaviour, or to indicate which measures are most successful in ensuring that further bullying is prevented.
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure its effectiveness and updated in response to new research or changes within the school community. Regular feedback from students, parents, and staff will be sought to continuously improve our strategies.
If a parent is not satisfied with the way a bullying / hate crime issue has been addressed, the appropriate keyworker should be contacted to discuss the matter.
If the parent is still dissatisfied, then the appropriate member of the Senior Leadership Team should be involved.
Further information may be found in the Complaints Policy if a parent / carer feels the matter is still unresolved.
