Rating description:
- Fully met: Policy references and outlines powers the school has to prevent and respond to bullying outside of school. It specifically mentions cyberbullying and journeys to and from school.
- Partially met: Policy outlines to some extent the powers the school has to prevent and respond to bullying outside of school. It specifically mentions cyberbullying and journeys to and from school.
- Not yet met: Policy does not reference the powers the school has to prevent and respond to bullying outside of school. Nor does it specifically mention cyberbullying and journeys to and from school.
What does the Law say?
The Department for Education released the following statement in regards to bullying outside of school premises:
Head teachers have the legal power to make sure pupils behave outside of school premises (state schools only). This includes bullying that happens anywhere off the school premises, eg on public transport or in a town centre.
Through Section 89 clause 5 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 head-teachers have the power to discipline their students for any bullying incidents outside of school “to such an extent that is reasonable.”
DfE’s Preventing and Tackling Bullying guidance says about schools duties to tackle bullying outside of schools:
Teachers have the power to discipline pupils for misbehaving outside the school premises “to such an extent as is reasonable. This can relate to any bullying incidents occurring anywhere off the school premises, such as on school or public transport, outside the local shops, or in a town or village centre.
Where bullying outside school is reported to school staff, it should be investigated and acted on. The headteacher should also consider whether it is appropriate to notify the police or anti-social behaviour coordinator in their local authority of the action taken against a pupil. If the misbehaviour could be criminal or poses a serious threat to a member of the public, the police should always be informed.
In all cases of misbehaviour or bullying the teacher can only discipline the pupil on school premises or elsewhere when the pupil is under the lawful control of the staff member. More detailed advice on teachers’ powers to discipline, including their power to punish pupils for misbehaviour that occurs outside school, is included in ‘Behaviour and discipline in schools – advice for headteachers and school staff’.”
Reference: Preventing and tackling bullying - Department for Education - page 6
Tips:
- Be clear about your powers to intervene in both bullying in the community and bullying online.
- Include circumstances like cyberbullying, home to school transport and clear expectations.
- Safe To Learn (an suite of old guidance produced by previous governments) has a resource about bullying on school transport. This could be helpful
- We have a section about preventing and responding to cyberbullying on our website which has many resources to support you
Resources and examples:
You can see tools and case studies in the attachments section below.
All Together schools have said:
Policy updates includes community responsibility reference and confirms the fact that school will hold students accountable for poor behaviour in the local community on the way to and from school as well as students online and electronic activities.
Children are taught to tell a trusted adult. Activities about who is a child's trusted adult. Policy gives websites and contact numbers to provide help such as Kidscape, NSPCC. E-safety training