Bi Cinealta

Bí Cineálta Policy to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour

The Board of Management of Scoil Fhursa 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 defined in Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying and Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent
and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools as 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.
Each school is required to develop and implement a Bí Cineálta policy that sets out how the
school community prevents and addresses bullying behaviour. Strategies to deal with
inappropriate behaviour that is not bullying behaviour are provided for within the school’s Code of Behaviour.

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. 

Section B: Preventing Bullying Behaviour 

This section sets out the prevention strategies that will be used by the school. These
include strategies specifically aimed at preventing online bullying behaviour, homophobic
and transphobic bullying behaviour, racist bullying behaviour, sexist bullying behaviour and
sexual harassment as appropriate (see Chapter 5 of the Bí Cineálta procedures): 

The Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice provides the following four
key areas that are essential for a holistic, whole school approach to wellbeing promotion:
Culture and Environment; Curriculum (Teaching and Learning); Policy and Planning; and
Relationships and Partnerships.
These four areas have been considered by the school when developing measures to
prevent bullying behaviour. 

1.Culture and Environment 

A positive and inclusive school culture and environment is essential to prevent and address
bullying behaviour. The school environment should be a space where students and school
staff experience a sense of belonging and feel safe, connected and supported.
Relationships between all members of the school community should be based on respect,
care, integrity and trust.
Open communication between the patron, boards of management, school staff, students
and their parents help to foster a collaborative approach and shared responsibilities in
relation to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour.
The school leadership team influences the school culture and set the standards and
expectations for the school community when preventing and addressing bullying
behaviour.
Each member of school staff has a responsibility to develop and maintain a school culture
where bullying behaviour is unacceptable and to take a consistent approach to addressing
bullying behaviour.
Students can shape the school culture by promoting kindness and inclusion within their
peer group and maintain a positive and supportive school environment for all.
Parents, as active partners in their child’s education, can help foster an environment where
bullying behaviour is not tolerated through promoting empathy and respect.

• A Telling Environment
Students should feel comfortable to talk about concerns regarding bullying behaviour.

• A Trusted Adult
The concept of “a trusted adult” can be an effective strategy to encourage students to
report if they or another student is experiencing bullying behaviour. Staff could support
this strategy by letting students know that they can talk to them.

• Creating Safe Physical Spaces in School
Scoil Fhursa has created and maintains safe physical spaces to support psychological
safety and as an important measure to prevent bullying behaviour.

• Supervision
Appropriate supervision is an important measure to help prevent and address bullying
behaviour. Scoil Fhursa are takes all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of the
students and to supervise students when attending school or attending school
activities. Scoil Fhursa offers a mix of organised activities during break times with a view to
accommodating a range of preferences and interests.

2.Curriculum (Teaching and Learning)

Teaching and learning that is collaborative and respectful should be promoted. Students
should have regular opportunities to work in small groups with their peers, which can help
build sense of connection, belonging and empathy among students.
The curricular subjects offered to students provide opportunities to foster inclusion and
respect for diversity. Scoil Fhursa provides opportunities for students to
develop a sense of self-worth through both curricular and extra-curricular programmes, including but not limited to: 

 • SPHE 

 • RSE 

 • Religious Education 

 • Stay Safe 

 • Social Thinking Curriculum 

 • Friends for Life 

 • Friends First 

 • Walk Tall 

 3.Policy and Planning 

Bí Cineálta Policy 

Student friendly Bí Cineálta Policy

Code of Behaviour 

Acceptable Use Policy 

Yard Supervision Policy 

Special Education Teaching Policy 

School policies are developed with input from students, parents, staff members and board
of management members.
Staff may engage in appropriate teacher professional learning courses that can support
school staff to prevent and address bullying behaviour. School staff are provided
opportunities to share their experiences and examples of best practice. 

4.Relationships and Partnerships 

Strong interpersonal connections are a vital part of effectively preventing and addressing
bullying behaviour. These interpersonal connections are supported through a range of
formal and informal structures in the school.
The following, which is not an exhaustive list, could be considered to strengthen
relationships and partnerships between members of the school community:

 > age appropriate awareness initiatives that look at the causes and impacts of bullying
    behaviour including those dealing with navigating friendships, identity-based bullying,
    racist bullying, homophobic/transphobic bullying, sexism and sexual harassment
 > supporting the active participation of students in school life
 > supporting the active participation of parents in school life, including those who may
    find it difficult or daunting to engage with the school due to being unfamiliar with the
    education system or due to language or cultural barriers 

 > supporting activities that build empathy, respect and resilience 

 > encouraging peer support such as peer mentoring 

 > promoting acts of kindness 

 > teaching problem solving 

 > hosting debates 

5.Preventing Cyberbullying 

Scoil Fhursa will endeavor to promote digital literacy, digital
citizenship, and fostering safe online environments. Strategies to prevent cyberbullying
behaviour include the following, which is not an exhaustive list: 

Implementing the SPHE curriculum 

 > implementing the Digital Media Literacy curriculum which teaches students about
    responsible online behaviour and digital citizenship 

 > having regular conversations with students about developing respectful and kind
    relationships online 

 > developing and communicating an acceptable use policy for technology 

 > referring to appropriate online behaviour as part of the standards of behaviour in the
    Code of Behaviour 

 > promoting or hosting online safety events for parents who are responsible for
    overseeing their children’s activities online* 

 > holding an Internet safety day to reinforce awareness around appropriate online Behaviour 

The digital age of consent is the minimum age a user must be before a social media or
internet company can collect, process and store their data. In Ireland the digital age of
consent is 16. 

 It is important for their child’s safety, that parents are aware of their children’s use of
technology including smartphones and gaming consoles. 

6. Preventing homophobic/transphobic bullying behaviour 

All students including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, have a right to feel
safe and supported at school.
Strategies to prevent homophobic and transphobic bullying behaviour include the
following, which is not an exhaustive list:

 > maintaining an inclusive physical environment such as by displaying relevant posters 

 > encouraging peer support such as peer mentoring and empathy building activities 

 > challenging gender stereotypes 

 > conducting workshops and seminars for students, school staff and parents to raise
awareness of the impact of homophobic bullying behaviour 

 > encouraging students to speak up when they witness homophobic behaviour 

7. Preventing racist bullying 

Fostering a school culture where diversity is celebrated and where students “see themselves” in their school environment 

 > having the cultural diversity of the school visible and on display 

 > conducting workshops and seminars for students, school staff and parents to raise awareness of racism 

 > encouraging peer support such as peer mentoring and empathy building activities 

 > encouraging bystanders to report when they witness racist behaviour 

 > providing supports to school staff to respond to the needs of students for whom English is an additional language          and for communicating with their parents 

 > providing supports to school staff to support students from ethnic minorities, including Traveller and Roma students,      and to encourage communication with their parents 

 > ensuring that library reading material and textbooks represent appropriate lived experiences of students and adults      from different national, ethnic and cultural backgrounds 

8. Preventing sexist bullying behaviour

Schools should focus on gender equality as part of the school’s measures to create a
supportive and respectful environment.
Strategies to prevent sexist bullying behaviour include the following, which is not an
exhaustive list:

 >ensuring members of staff model respectful behaviour and treat students and staff
   equally irrespective of their sex 

 > celebrating diversity at school and acknowledging the contributions of all students 

 > building awareness on gender equality and respect 

 > encouraging parents to reinforce these values of respect at home 

9. Preventing sexual harassment 

 Preventing sexual harassment requires an approach that focuses on education, awareness
and clear enforceable policies. Schools must make it clear that there is a zero tolerance
approach to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment should never be dismissed as teasing or
banter.
Strategies to prevent sexual harassment include the following, which is not an exhaustive
list: 

 > promoting positive role models within the school community 

 > challenging gender stereotypes that can contribute to sexual harassment 

The school has the following supervision and monitoring policies in place to prevent and
address bullying behaviour (see Chapter 5 of the Bí Cineálta procedures): 

Appropriate supervision is an important measure to help prevent and address bullying
behaviour. Scoil Fhursa takes all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of our
students and supervisesstudents when students that are attending school or attending
school activities. 

Scoil Fhursa offers a mix of organised activities during break times and schools are
encouraged to continue to do this with a view to accommodating a range of preferences
and interests. 

 Below are a list of policies and documents which is not an exhaustive list, that are in place
to prevent and address bullying behaviour: 

 Code of discipline 

 Acceptable Use policy

 Bí Cineálta 

 Safety, Security and Supervision Procedures for the School Day document 

 Yard supervision document 

Section C: Addressing Bullying Behaviour 

The teacher(s) with responsibility for addressing bullying behaviour is (are) as follows:
All teachers have responsibility to address bullying behaviour. 

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 

The steps that will be taken by the school to determine if bullying behaviour has occurred,
the approaches taken to address the bullying behaviour and to review progress are as
follows (see Chapter 6 of the Bí Cineálta procedures):

The whole school community has a responsibility to prevent and address bullying
behaviour. Scoil Fhursa will work in partnership with our patron, board of management,
staff, students and their parents to prevent and address bullying behaviour.
The primary aim in addressing reports of bullying behaviour should be to stop the bullying
behaviour and to restore, as far as practicable, the relationships of the students involved,
rather than to apportion blame. 

When addressing bullying behaviour the teacher should: 

 • Ensure that the student experiencing bullying behaviour feels listened to and
reassured 

 • Seek to ensure the privacy of those involved 

 • Conduct all conversations with sensitivity 

 • Consider the age and the ability of students 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 

To determine whether the behaviour reported is bullying behaviour you should 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.

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. 

If the answer to any of these questions is No, then the behaviour is not bullying behaviour.
Strategies to deal with inappropriate behaviour are provided for within the school’s Code
of Behaviour. 

When identifying if bullying behaviour has occurred teachers should 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 should be met as a group

 > at the group meeting, each student should be asked for their account of what happened
 to ensure that everyone in the group is clear about each other’s views 

 > 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) 

Where bullying behaviour has occurred 

 > parents are an integral part of our school community and play an important role, in
    partnership with the school, in addressing bullying behaviour. Where bullying behaviour
    has occurred, the parents of the students involved must be contacted at an early stage
    to inform them of the matter and to consult with them on the actions to be taken to
    address the behaviour 

 > it is important to listen to the views of the student who is experiencing the bullying
    behaviour as to how best to address the situation 

 > a record should be kept of the engagement with all involved 

 > this record should document the form and type of bullying behaviour, if known (see
    Section 2.5 and 2.7 of the Bi Cineálta procedures), where and when it took place and
    the date of the initial engagement with the students involved and their parents 

 > the record should include the views of the students and their parents regarding the
    actions to be taken to address the bullying behaviour 

 >a copy of this document is to be given to the Principal 

Follow up where bullying behaviour has occured 

 > the teacher must engage with the students involved and their parents again no more
    than 20 school days after the initial engagement 

 > important factors to consider as part of this engagement are the nature of the bullying
    behaviour, the effectiveness of the strategies used to address the bullying behaviour
    and the relationship between the students involved 

 > the teacher should document the review with students and their parents to determine if
    the bullying behaviour has ceased and the views of students and their parents in
    relation to this 

 > the date that it has been determined that the bullying behaviour has ceased should also
    be recorded
> any engagement with external services/supports should also be noted 

 > ongoing supervision and support may be needed for the students involved even where
    bullying behaviour has ceased 

 > if the bullying behaviour has not ceased the teacher should review the strategies used
    in consultation with the students involved and their parents. A timeframe should be
    agreed for further engagement until the bullying behaviour has ceased 

 > if it becomes clear that the student who is displaying the bullying behaviour is
   continuing to display the behaviour, then the school consideration should be given to
   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 the school 

 > if a parent(s) is not satisfied with how the bullying behaviour has been addressed by the
    school, in accordance with the Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying
    Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. they should be referred to the school’s
    complaints procedures.
    If a parent is dissatisfied with how a complaint has been handled, they may make a
    complaint to the Ombudsman for Children if they believe that the school’s actions have
    had a negative effect on the student 

The school will use the following approaches to support those who experience, witness
and display bullying behaviour (see Chapter 6 of the Bí Cineálta procedures): 

Listening to those involved 

Showing empathy to those involved 

Reassuring the students 

Ask them to let you know if the bullying behavior occurs in school 

Devising appropriate “check-in” mechanisms 

Discussing how the student can inform their parents of the situation if they haven’t
already done so 

Scoil Fhursa School Code of Behavior 

Stay Safe programme 

Walk Tall programme 

RSE programme 

Webwise resources 

Grow in Love programme 

Classroom rules and classroom contracts 

Friends for Life programme 

Monthly Assembly 

Amber Flag Wednesday Wellness initiatives 

Lunch time yard and classroom activities 

Yard supervision rota 

Teacher Modelling 

Positive Staff Culture 

Internet Acceptable Use Policy 

Extra-Curricular Activities (Sports, Choir, Chess, Quiz Team etc.) 

Sensory Room 

Grandparents Day/Mother’s Day Celebration 

School Completion Programme 

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.