Bí Cineálta Policy

School: Caherleaheen NS

Introduction

The Board of Management of 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.

This Anti-Bullying Policy has been developed in alignment with the following school policies

Code of Behaviour
Acceptable Usage Policy
Special Education Policy
SPHE plan
RSE policy
Student-friendly Bí Cineálta policy
School Outings policy

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 confirm that we will take all steps that are reasonably practicable to prevent all bullying or harassment of our students in whatever form and however motivated.

Catholic schools have a distinctive understanding of the human person, recognising that every person is created in God’s image and likeness and has inherent dignity as a child of God. This is the basis for ensuring that everybody in our school is treated with respect and care, in accordance with the Catholic Schedule.

As a Catholic school, we are committed to respecting the dignity of every individual. No human person is to be devalued and everybody has a part to play in the school community, regardless of difference. Therefore, 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.

This Anti-Bullying Policy has been developed in accordance with the Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour (2024). It reflects our commitment to a safe, inclusive, and respectful school culture.

Aims of this Policy

To raise awareness that bullying is unacceptable and
To promote a whole-school culture of wellbeing, kindness and transparency
To create a safe school culture where students can report bullying without
To ensure bullying behaviour is clearly reported and always
To guide staff, pupils, and parents in recognising and responding to
To implement proactive supports for all those involved in bullying
To ensure regular evaluation of the policy’s

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.

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.

Types of Bullying Behaviour

There are many different types of bullying behaviour. These can include the following which is not an exhaustive list:

disablist bullying behaviour: behaviour or language that intends to harm a student because of a perceived or actual disability or additional need
exceptionally able bullying: behaviour or language that intends to harm a student because of their high academic ability or outstanding talents
gender identity bullying: behaviour or language that intends to harm a student because of their perceived or actual gender identity
homophobic/transphobic (LGBTQ+) bullying: behaviour or language that intends to harm a student because of their perceived or actual membership of the LGBTQ+ community
physical appearance bullying: behaviour or language that intends to harm a student because of their physical appearance. Students who “look different” can be mocked or criticised about the shape, size or appearance of their body.
speech or accent bullying: mimicking behaviour that intends to harm a student because of how they speak or pronounce words
racist bullying: behaviour or language that intends to harm a student because of their race or ethnic origin which includes membership of the Traveller or Roma community. Racism is defined in the National Action Plan Against Racism13 as “a form of domination which manifests through those power dynamics present in structural and institutional arrangements, practices, policies and cultural norms, which have the effect of excluding or discriminating against individuals or groups, based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin”14
poverty bullying: behaviour that intends to humiliate a student because of a lack of resources
religious identity bullying: behaviour that intends to harm a student because of their religion or religious identity
personal property bullying: behaviour that intends to damage a student’s personal equipment or

belongings

The school aims to use the following three key questions when investigating and defining any incident as a bullying behaviour.

TARGETED- Is the behaviour targeted at a specific student or group of students?
HARM- Is the behaviour intended to cause physical, social or emotional harm?
REPEATED- Is the behaviour repeated?

If the answer to each of the questions is ‘Yes’ then the behaviour is a bullying behaviour. If the answer to any of the three questions is ‘No’, then the behaviour is not a bullying behaviour. Strategies to deal with such behaviours 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 and review of the BI Cineálta procedures and subsequent policy

	Date consulted	Method of consultation
School Staff	Jan 15th 13th March 2025	Principal and Ass. Principal Training Education Centre. Oide., All SNA’s, teachers, secretary. Use of Oide resources. Powerpoint presentation, group work, hard copies
Students	Monthly (Student Council) Whole School (18th Mar.- 10th April)	Lunch time meetings with Mr Paul. Pupil Surveys Walk Tall, Code of Behaviour revision in classes
Parents	March 5th 2025	P.Assoc meeting and presentation by principal-Oide resources
Board of Management	27th Nov 2024 30th Jan 2025 26th March 2025	Webinar and Govt./Oide links Agenda item- discussion Agenda item-discussion and update
Wider school community as appropriate, for example, bus drivers	19th May 2025	Meeting with Brookview Afterschool Manager. Brookview training for schools to be arranged by Brookview
Date policy was approved: 11th June. 2025

SECTION B: Preventing Bullying Behaviour

Prevention strategies will be used to address all forms of bullying behaviour, in whatever form and however motivated, including racist bullying behaviour, sexist bullying behaviour, sexual harassesment, homophobic and transphobic bullying behaviour and online bullying behaviour which impacts school life.

In developing these strategies, we come from the context of our Catholic ethos, where inclusivity permeates school life. This school will endeavour to take steps to ensure a respectful dialogue by regularly prioritising prevention and inclusivity strategies at staff and Board of Management meetings.

This school takes positive steps to ensure that the culture of the school is one which welcomes a respectful dialogue and encounter with diversity and difference by ensuring that prevention and inclusivity strategies are given priority and discussed regularly at our board of management, staff meetings and Parent Association meetings. We listen closely to and dialogue with parents, building relationships of mutual understanding, respect, trust and respect. Frequent engagement with students and parents helps us design effective supports. The dignity and the wellbeing of the individual person is of paramount concern in our Christian response. This school will listen closely to and dialogue with parents, thereby building a relationship of mutual understanding, respect, trust and confidence.In continuing to develop prevention strategies, this school will listen to young people and parents to help establish their particular context and needs. Frequent periods of reflection and further engagement by the school, young people and parents, will be used to discern appropriate supports for young people in this school and to help inform future prevention strategies. The main aim of all our strategies is to

Promote kindness, inclusion and
Promote a zero tolerance of bullying of any kind

Strategies include:

School Culture & Environment
- Establishing a zero-tolerance approach to
- Involving parents as active partners in anti-bullying
- Modeling respectful behaviour among staff and
- Encouraging a “telling environment” where students feel safe to report
- Promoting the concept of a trusted adult through the Stay Safe
- Creating safe spaces within the school and yard, ensuring high
- Displaying artwork and signage that reflect the values of equality, inclusion, and
- Ensuring a consistent approach to handling reports of
- Organising Anti-Bullying Week
- Promoting Be Kind activities on Skills

Implementing a playground helper system in the Junior
Maintaining effective supervision and monitoring of pupils in classrooms, bathrooms, yard, corridors and during assemblies
Maintaining effective supervision on school trips and on public

2. Curriculum Teaching & Learning

We integrate anti-bullying education into teaching and learning by:

Ensuring a shared understanding of bullying and its
Implementing the SPHE
Explicitly address cyberbullying and all forms of
Implementing Resilience Programmes to develop self-regulation, coping skills, and emotional
Webwise Internet Safety Programme – Teaching responsible online behaviour, digital citizenship and preventing cyberbullying.
Promote Safer Internet Day – creating an awareness around online safety amongst pupils and
Classroom rules & positive behaviour reinforcement – promoting respect and
Social stories – Helping students understand social
Buddy systems & grouping strategies – Encouraging peer support and
Incentives & positive reward systems – Reinforcing kindness and respectful
Providing curricular and extracurricular activities that encourage teamwork, self-worth, and
Offering small group work opportunities to build connection and empathy, Circle Time, Social Stories and small- group and nurture groups
Supplementing our SPHE curriculum with the following programmes, according to suitability and need-

Cool, Calm and Confident Dealing with Feeling -Tina Rae Talk About/ Socially Speaking

Social Skills Programmes- Maureen Aarons & Tessa Gittens Zones of Regulation

Zippy’s Friends

3. Policy & Planning

Raise awareness of bullying as unacceptable
Promote a school ethos where students feel safe to disclose
Adhere to supervision and monitoring procedures in school and on
Developing and reviewing a Student Friendly Bí Cineálta Policy with
Adherence to procedures for investigating and addressing
Adherence to recording procedures using Appendix 1 form on
Storage of Appendix 1 in hard-copy
Provide support for both the student who is experiencing bullying behaviour and the student who is displaying bullying behaviour.
Collaborate with external agencies to prevent and address
Providing staff support to ensure consistent responses and follow-ups to
Continuously evaluating the effectiveness of the Bí Cineálta
Integration of SPHE, Stay Safe, and Internet Safety lessons with Bí Cinéalta objectives
Staff training

4. Relationships & Partnerships

Caherleaheen NS builds strong relationships through:

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 and homophobic/transphobic bullying
Supporting the active participation of students in school life
Supporting the active participation of parents in school
Supporting community and social activities
Conducting workshops for students, school staff to raise awareness of bullying
Creating opportunities for parental guidance on bullying from external agencies
Supporting activities that build empathy, respect and resilience
Encouraging peer or ‘Buddy’ support
Highlighting and promoting acts of
Teaching problem
Regular check-ins

Section C: Procedures for Investigating and Addressing Bullying:

The teacher(s) with responsibility for addressing bullying behaviour is (are) as follows:The Class Teacher.

Support and oversight rests with:

Ms. Mary Connolly, Principal

Ms. Claire Murphy, Deputy Principal Mr. Paul Daly, Assistant Principal

Steps

The school will use the following steps and approaches to respond to those who experience, witness or display bullying behaviour.

When bullying behaviour occurs, our school’s responses will be to

ensure that the student experiencing bullying behaviour is heard and reassured
investigate if the behaviour constitutes a bullying behaviour-see Section 1
seek to ensure the privacy of those involved
conduct all conversations with sensitivity
consider the age and ability of those involved
initiate a log to record views of all parties concerned
listen to the views of the student who is experiencing the bullying behaviour as to how best to address the situation
inform parents of those involved in a timely fashion
take all actions in a timely manner
alert other staff members to observe behaviours and relations between the student parties
update Student Support Files and ensure that SET plans incorporate response strategies and associated support
record the bullying behaviour/s, meetings or conversations, actions and necessary follow-up actions, inclusive of dates on Appendix 1 form
check, determine and record when the bullying behaviour has ceased
record any engagement with external advisory agencies

Child Protection:

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.

Parental Complaint Procedures:

If a parent is unsatisfied with the school’s response, they will be referred to the school’s complaint procedure.

If unresolved, parents can make further complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.

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.

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.

8. Ratification and Communication

This policy was ratified by the Board of Management on 11th June 2025

It will be reviewed on an annual basis, following input from our school community, or as soon as practicable after there has been a change in any matter to which this policy refers.