Anti-Bullying
Bullying hurts and no-one deserves to be bullied. In our academy we recognise that bullying, especially if left unaddressed, can have a devasting effect on individuals. It can be a barrier to learning and have serious consequences on mental health. Bullying which takes place at school can have a lasting effect on a young person’s life into adulthood.
We aim to provide a safe, caring and friendly climate for learning for all our students to allow them to improve their life chances, and help them maximise their potential. Everybody has the right to be treated with respect, to feel welcome, secure and happy. We also aim to produce an inclusive environment for all students which openly discusses differences between people and celebrates diversity.
We expect students to act safely and feel safe in the academy. We also want parents to feel confident that their children are safe and cared for in the academy and incidents, where they do arise, are dealt with promptly and effectively.
What is bullying?
There is no legal definition of bullying but at The Hastings Academy, we have adopted a definition developed and agreed by students, which is:
‘The intentional, repeated act of behaving negatively towards another person or group, where an imbalance of power is involved’.
An occasional conflict or disagreement is not bullying. These are an inevitable part of group dynamics and it is normal for people to have a difference of opinion. However, we recognise that repeated friendship problems can sometimes lead to bullying behaviour.
To view our bullying policy, please visit our policies page