Anti-Bullying Policy
ACS(P) partners with staff, students, and parents to build a safe, respectful environment while addressing one-off hurtful acts and repeated, intentional bullying
Our Commitment
At Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), we believe every child deserves to feel safe, valued, competent and empowered in their learning journey. We are committed to creating a caring and enabling school environment where all students can flourish and develop positive relationships with their peers.
Our approach focuses on teaching kindness, empathy, and respect whilst addressing any hurtful behaviour that may arise. We work together as a school community — staff, students, and parents — to ensure everyone feels they belong.
What are hurtful behaviours and bullying?
Hurtful behaviours are unkind and hurtful acts such as once-off insensitive comments, actions and physical fights, while bullying involves persistent and intentional hurtful acts. Bullying is a repeated pattern of behaviour where a student or group intentionally targets others to cause distress.
Hurtful behaviours and bullying could take several forms:
Bullying type
Type | What hurtful behaviours and bullying could look like |
Physical | Acts causing physical harm (e.g., pushing, hitting and slapping), intimidation, or property damage |
Verbal | Name-calling, threats, or the spreading of rumours |
Social/ Relational | Intentional exclusion, encouraging others to ignore someone, or acts that damage a student's reputation among peers |
Cyber | Using technology to repeatedly harass, threaten, or humiliate others |
Not all hurtful behaviour is bullying. Hurtful behaviour includes a range of actions — from insensitive words or jokes to intentional acts that undermine a student's psychological safety. Bullying is a specific subset of hurtful behaviour characterised by three features: it is repeated or persistent, it is intended to hurt, and the victim finds it difficult to stop or stand up for themselves.
The school takes all hurtful behaviour seriously, regardless of whether it meets the definition of bullying.
The School's Stance
The school takes a firm stance against all forms of hurtful behaviour — from one-off, insensitive comments to persistent, intentional acts of bullying and physical violence. Every report is taken seriously, regardless of how minor it may first appear.
Prevention
We believe prevention is more effective than punishment. Throughout the year, students take part in:
Form teacher guidance periods (FTGP) and Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons on kindness, empathy, and respect
Anti-bullying campaign held yearly, where we encourage upstanding. As bullying situations typically involve more than just the bully and the victim, bystanders — students who witness hurtful behaviour — play a significant role. They may inadvertently encourage bullying by watching or reacting, or they can actively help by standing up for the victim,• offering comfort, or alerting a trusted adult. We encourage all students to be upstanders rather than passive bystanders.
Assembly talks and class-level conversations reinforcing our school values
Structured peer support programmes
Regular check-ins between form teachers and students to catch early signs of distress
Termly check-in surveys
How We Respond
Action
Our Approach | What We Will Do |
Address and Correct |
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Replace and Restore |
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Where a student's needs require additional support — whether social, emotional, or learning-related — our SEN officer and counselling team are here to help. We recognise that students who bully others often do so because of underlying needs; they may lack social-emotional skills such as empathy or conflict management. Equally, students who are bullied may need help to build their confidence and develop supportive friendships. By attending to these underlying needs, rather than addressing surface behaviour alone, we aim to bring about lasting change for every child involved.
Confidentiality
Information shared during a bullying investigation is handled sensitively and shared only with staff who need to know, to protect the privacy and dignity of all students involved.
Working Together
We see the prevention of bullying as a shared responsibility between school and home. Parents play a vital role by talking to their children about kindness and respect, and by reaching out early if they have any concerns. Our staff are always ready to listen and work with families to resolve issues quickly and constructively.
Our staff are trained to recognise early signs of distress in students, including changes in mood, behaviour, social withdrawal, declining academic performance, or unexplained physical symptoms. If you notice similar changes in your child at home, we encourage you to reach out to us promptly.
When a bullying incident is investigated, we will share with parents what has happened, what the school is doing, the considerations behind any disciplinary actions taken, and how your child will be supported going forward. We may also share strategies for you to reinforce at home, and we ask for your partnership in doing so. If your child is involved as a bystander, we will also be in touch, as their experience and response matters too.