Anti-Bullying Policy

The Japanese School

Approved by:

The School Management Committee

Last reviewed on:June 2023

Next review due by:June 2024

Anti- Bullying Policy 202306 v1.3

Date: June 2023

1

Version Number
1.1
1.2
1.3

Modified By
K. Nishihara
K. Okamoto
K. Okamoto

Modifications Made
Update format.
Overall review
Annual review

Date Modified
01/04/2021
04/05/2022
01/06/2023

Contents
1.

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................3

2.

Definition of Bullying .......................................................................................................................33.

Handling Procedure ..........................................................................................................................44.

Reporting and Guidance System ......................................................................................................5

Procedures for dealing with concerns .....................................................................................................6

Anti- Bullying Policy 202306 v1.32

1. Introduction
Bullying has become a major social concern not only in Japan, but in many parts of the world. It hascaused an increase in emotional instability and non-attendance of students resulting, in some extreme
cases, in suicides. Under such circumstances, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology in Japan (MEXT) updated Basic Policy for the Prevention of Bullying, which theEducation Ministry revised on March 16, 2017, mandates that schools should prevent bullying ofstudents. It includes the prevention of students based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Japanese School in London regards the problem of bullying as one of the fundamental threats toeducation. The school is therefore taking measures on a daily basis under the leadership of theHeadteacher, such as raising the teachers’ awareness about bullying, to ensure that any case ofbullying is properly dealt with.
Legislation and statutory guidanceThis policy is based on the Department for Education’s statutory guidance The Education(Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, The Education and Inspections Act 2006,
The Equality Act 2010 and DfE Guidance ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying’ July 2017.
When there is ‘reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer,significant harm’ a bullying incident should be addressed as a child protection concern underthe Children Act 1989. Full details can be found in Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education andChapter 1 of Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Although bullying in itself is not a specific criminal offence in the UK, it is important to bear inmind that some types of harassing or threatening behaviour – or communications – could bea criminal offence, for example under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, theMalicious Communications Act 1988, the Communications Act 2003, and the Public OrderAct 1986. School staff members have the power to discipline pupils for misbehaving outside theschool premises. Sections 90 and 91 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

2.

Definition of Bullying

The widely accepted definition of bullying is “a case where a person continuously inflicts physicaland psychological attacks upon someone who is in a weaker position than he/she is, and where theperson being attacked is experiencing serious pain.” In 2017, MEXT redefined bullying as “a casewhere a child is suffering from psychological pain by receiving psychological and/or physical attacks
from someone with whom he/she has a certain relationship”. At our school, we consider any
unreasonable physical or verbal action towards others to be bullying, regardless of the reason.
On the other hand, it is also true that there are various reasons for and backgrounds to bullying, andthat it is not an issue that may be solved with ease. There is a need, therefore, for families andcommunities to be involved to deal with the problem, as a school is not able to solve problems ofbullying entirely on its own.
Cyber-bullying
The rapid development of, and widespread access to, technology has provided a new medium for‘virtual’ bullying, which can occur in or outside school. Cyber-bullying is a different form of bullying
and can happen at all times of the day, with a potentially bigger audience, and more accessories as
Anti- Bullying Policy 202306 v1.3

3

people forward on content at a click. The Education Act 2011 amended the power in the Education
Act 1996 to provide that when an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, has been seized by amember of staff who has been formally authorised by the headteacher, that staff member canexamine data or files, and delete these, where there is good reason to do so.

Harmful sexual behaviour
Leaders ensure that school’s culture will address harmful sexual behaviour. This means that sexual
harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence are not happening in the community, andpotentially in the school, even when there are no specific reports, and follow whole-school approachto address them (see child protection and safeguarding policy).
3.

Handling Procedure(1) Prevention Procedure
Our school is founded on the principle that children should be kind and supportive to eachother, and that they should be able to sympathise with others. Therefore, the school is taking
daily measures to ensure that all cases of bullying are properly dealt with through the followingmeans.
 Enriching and applying the contents of emotional education within the school curriculum Dealing with bullying in Moral Education classes
 Providing a friendly class atmosphere for students which enables them to speak out
 Providing a class environment where students can get to know each other Providing occasions where children work in year units, rather than in class units Offering occasions where children work with children in other year groups (making use ofso called “friendly activities”)
 Sharing of information and cooperation among teachers and staff members
 Dealing with bullying by student council members
 Involve parents to ensure that they are clear that the school does not tolerate bullying
and are aware of the procedures to follow if they believe that their child is beingbullied.
 Involve pupils. All pupils understand the school’s approach and are clear about thepart they can play to prevent bullying, including when they find themselves as
bystanders.
 Openly discuss differences between people that could motivate bullying, such asreligion, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality or appearance related difference.
 Use specific local authority and organisations or resources for help with particularproblems.
provide effective staff training. Anti-bullying policies are most effective when all schoolstaff understand the principles and purpose of the school’s policy, its legal
responsibilities regarding bullying, how to resolve problems, and where to seek
support including those with special educational needs and/or disability(SEND) and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) pupils(2) Guidance (Correction) Procedure
At the same time as we investigate and analyse the causes of bullying, we give guidancestrictly and seriously to children who have inflicted bullying. For those upon whom bullying

Anti- Bullying Policy 202306 v1.34

was inflicted, we give overall support. Although the kind of guidance given differs case bycase, we make every effort to ensure that a teacher or teachers spend(s) enough time listening
to the children concerned, and try to see the problems from a children’s point of view.
 The homeroom teacher should listen to the students involved in bullying, and should giveproper and strict educational guidance so as to solve the problem within the class. To
ensure the appropriateness of the content of the guidance, the matter should be discussed
beforehand among the homeroom teachers who teach the year group to which theconcerned children belong, if necessary involving the School Discipline Committee.
Parents of both parties should be well informed of the incident, so that the problem may
be solved with their cooperation.
 If it is not possible to solve the problem within the year group, a member of themanagement (either the deputy head or the headteacher) will provide guidance.
 If it is not possible to solve the problem after guidance by a member of the management,
the parents should be interviewed to allow the next action plan to be discussed.
 If it is not possible to solve the problem after taking all the available steps, theheadteacher may decide to temporarily suspend or expel the student who inflictedbullying.

4.

Reporting and Guidance System
In order to respond to bullying as soon as possible, we have a system for reporting and giving
consultation for each case which is illustrated in the chart below. A report should always be madeon the day the bullying incident takes place. Should a case require some time to solve, interim
reporting takes place as appropriate. In the case of an emergency, either the Headteacher or theDeputy Head should be directly consulted to take immediate action.

5.

Recording of Bullying incident and Prevention

See the form as attached.

Anti- Bullying Policy 202306 v1.3

5

Procedures for dealing with concerns

The same procedure should be followed for bullying incidents, absences, or sudden sickness.

Support for staff who are bullied
It is important to take measures to prevent and tackle bullying among pupils. But it
is equally important that the School Management Committee makes it clear that bullying of staff, whether by pupils,parents or colleagues, is unacceptable.

Anti- Bullying Policy 202306 v1.3

6

Bullying Activities Recording Form
Date ofincident

RecordedbyTme

DateVenue

Reported toPerpetrator
VictimIncident

Injury etc.

Activity
followedTime

Hearing
from
Perpetrator

Hearingfrom
Victim

Anti- Bullying Policy 202306 v1.3

7