Update: Incidents of School Bullying Reported, 1st July 2015

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of incidents of school
bullying reported and/or brought to her attention in respect of primary and
second level schools on a county basis throughout the country over the past
four years; the extent to which all such cases were adequately and
satisfactorily resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
– Bernard J. Durkan.

There is no requirement on schools to report bullying incidents to my
Department.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department published new anti-bullying
procedures for all primary and post primary schools at the beginning of the
2013/14 school year. These procedures are designed to give direction and
guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling
school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils. All Boards of Management
are required to adopt and implement an anti-bullying policy that fully complies
with the requirements of the procedures. A template anti-bullying policy which
must be used by all schools for this purpose is included in the procedures.

The procedures outline key principles of best practice for both preventing and
tackling bullying and require all schools to commit to these principles in
their anti-bullying policy. In particular, they emphasise that a cornerstone in
the prevention of bullying is a positive school culture. In that regard, the
procedures set out the need for schools to encourage and strengthen open
dialogue between all school staff and pupils and to ensure they provide
appropriate opportunities for pupils to raise their concerns in an environment
that is comfortable for the pupil.

The procedures also recognise the importance of good supervision and monitoring
systems to prevent bullying and facilitate early intervention. The school’s
anti-bullying policy must explicitly confirm that appropriate supervision and
monitoring policies and practices are in place to both prevent and deal with
bullying behaviour.

In relation to reporting bullying behaviour, the procedures make clear that a
pupil or parent may bring a bullying concern to any teacher in the school and
individual teachers must take appropriate measures regarding reports of
bullying behaviour in accordance with the school’s anti-bullying policy. The
procedures require that all reports, including anonymous reports of bullying
must be investigated and dealt with and that it should be made clear to all
pupils that when they report incidents of bullying they are not considered to
be telling tales but are behaving responsibly.

The procedures include specific requirements in relation to the consistent
investigation, follow up and recording of bullying behaviour amongst pupils.
There is a requirement in the procedures for the school Principal to report
regularly to the Board of Management in relation to the overall number of
bullying cases and provide confirmation that they are being dealt with in
accordance with the anti-bullying procedures.

The Board is also required, under the procedures, to undertake an annual review
of the school’s anti-bullying policy and its implementation by the school.
Written confirmation that the review has been completed must be made available
to the Parents’ Association and published on the school website.

Arising from commitments made in the Action Plan on Bullying, my Department’s
Inspectorate is placing a stronger focus on the actions schools take to create
a positive school culture and to prevent and tackle bullying. For example,
parent and student questionnaires issued as part of whole school evaluations,
include, since January 2014, additional questions to get a clearer picture of
how the school deals with bullying. Furthermore, the Inspectorate’s plan for
2015 provides for collaborative research to be conducted in a sample of primary
and post primary schools on how schools provide for pupils’ wellbeing. This
will culminate in a research report which will highlight best practice.