St Paul’s Secondary School has a simple mission statement on bullying which is posted in all rooms and corridors in the school and reads as follows:

While the majority of students will go through secondary school relatively problem free, a small percentage from time to time do encounter problems from other pupils. These problems can arise in any year but nation-wide research has shown that they are more likely to materialise in 2^nd and 3^rd year. All teachers in the school are continually on the look out for signs of bullying and a special duties teacher has been appointed to deal specifically with these problems. A school policy has been drawn up following Department of Education guidelines.

• Be frightened of walking to and from school.
• Be unwilling to go to school and make continuous excuses to avoid going.
• Beg to be driven to school.
• Refuse to say what is wrong or give improbable excuses to say what is wrong.
• Having been happy at school, begin doing poorly in their schoolwork.
• Regularly have clothes or books or schoolwork torn or destroyed.
• Come home hungry (because lunch or lunch money was taken).
• Become withdrawn and have mood swings.
• Start stammering.
• Start acting out or hitting other children (as a reaction to being bullied).
• Stop eating or become obsessively clean (as a reaction to being called "fatty" or "dirty").
• Develop stomach and headaches due to stress.
• Cry themselves to sleep.
• Have unexplained cuts or bruises.
• Ask for money or begin stealing money (to pay the bully).
• Attempt suicide.

Staff members and parents must be aware of bullying. In St. Pauls we do this by:

• Sending this circular to parents.
• Assigning a special duties teacher – Ms Behan.
• Educating staff members on how to recognise and deal with bullying.
• The Meitheal group for 1st years.
• Prefects made aware of bullying – asked to be watchful.
• Included in the code of discipline and in school diaries. Bullying and intimidation of another is strictly forbidden.
• Written policy on bullying.
• Mission statement on bullying in each classroom and on corridors.
• Bullying programme as part of religious classes at Junior level as at present.
• Supervision is one of the main measures used to prevent bullying. Staff members supervise pupils, while in school.

• Discuss the situation calmly with your child to find out if they are being bullied and if they are to what extent
• Assure your child that the problem is with the child doing the bullying.
• Keep a written record if possible.
• Contact the school (in confidence).

Bullying is often the result of a poor self-image or a hidden response to fear. It can sometimes be behaviour observed in the way adults deal with life.

• The parents of a child who is bullying will in certain cases be called in to discuss the situation. Parents are expected to let their children know if this is serious.
• Disapproval of the behaviour (not the child) must be shown. It is expected that parents will ensure their child takes responsibility for their actions i.e. apologise, return money etc.
• Parents should then try to find out why this behaviour has taken place. It can sometimes be for the following reasons:

• The child has been bullied in the past and they in turn take their aggression out on other children.
• They may need money, help with homework etc.
• There may have been some upset in the family, separation, bereavement etc.
• Physical size can sometimes make it easier to bully.

For some children bullying is a passing phase, a reaction to circumstances, but one that needs to be dealt with speedily but seriously.