Post Scrutiny - Executive Response

1. That all schools be strongly encouraged to participate in the current survey of anti-bullying activity being carried out by the Anti-Bullying Steering Group and that the Steering Group continues with the survey until all schools have responded.

Mostly accepted

About a third of schools have responded this year. We will feed back to all schools through the newssheet on this basis, and provide name and acclaim for participating schools. Since the original survey went out in July, and schools have been reminded three times already about the importance of this, we do not intend to delay any further in analysing the results, for fear that the impetus will be lost and the data will lose credibility because of the timescale.

We are investigating a web-based process and links with other surveys for the next round of this process, so that we will encourage a better response.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

Feedback to schools: end Jan 2007.

Investigating process and developing the website will feature in next year's business plan.

2. That the Council ensures all schools have an anti-bullying policy.

Accepted

This is a legal requirement and will be inspected through the 'Staying Safe' strand of school OFSTED inspections. We will also include this in future surveys.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

See above

3. That Governing Bodies be reminded of their responsibilities for ensuring schools have an effective anti-bullying policy and that a Link Governor for Anti-Bullying be identified at each school.

Accepted

Training has been arranged for Governors in the Spring term. In the summer term we will put a briefing note in the governors training manual reinforcing the messages in this recommendation.

Training: Theresa Coughlan, Michele Roberts

Briefing note: Claire Bibby

Training: February 2007

Briefing note: March 2007

4. That, if successful outcomes are achieved, the Council should negotiate further input from the Anti-Bullying Alliance Regional Co-ordinators directly in to Tameside schools and that the work carried out be used as a model for use in other schools.

Accepted

We will monitor the outcomes and use this organisation if appropriate; there are other options which we are also investigating and which may be more effective.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

Ongoing activity

5. That school policies be reviewed in light of the new Council policy.

Accepted

This will be part of the summer term briefing note (see recommendation 3)

Claire Bibby

See 3

6. That a young person and parent-friendly version of the new policy in leaflet form be produced and made available to Elected Members and School Governors.

Accepted

We will produce this following finalising of the policy.

Nick Caws / Theresa Coughlan / Michele Roberts

July 2007

7. That all stakeholders, including children and young people, parents and governors, are involved in the continued development of the Council's Anti-Bullying Policy.

Accepted

We will ensure that this happens.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

Ongoing activity

8. That the Council considers creating a temporary seconded post or commissioning support to deliver on some pieces of work on the action plan developed by the Anti-Bullying Steering Group.

Accepted

Most of the work on the action plan is ongoing work, which requires long term capacity to resource. There is a need for a distinct piece of work to set up a data system for monitoring and developing the good practice website.

Claire Bibby / Nick Caws

This will be in next year's business plan

9. That the Council establishes a picture of the scale of the problem of bullying as soon as possible to act as a benchmark for future anti-bullying activity.

Accepted

We will work with the Policy Unit to improve the section of the Year 10 survey which addresses bullying, and are investigating wider information systems (see recommendation 8)

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

July 2007

10. That monitoring and recording incidents of bullying and surveying pupil experiences should be recognised in the new Council Anti-Bullying Policy as good practice in tackling bullying in Tameside.

Accepted

Guidance on this will be on the website as well as in the policy.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

This will be in next year's business plan

11. That Local Authorities which have successfully developed monitoring arrangements with their schools be visited by the Steering Group and possibly school staff to learn from their experiences.

Accepted

We are linking with an authority who have developed a data-management system called Sentinel, to investigate whether this is a useful tool. They will visit us.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

Sharing good practice is an ongoing activity.

Sentinel demonstration: March 2007

12. That the Council contact Governing Bodies of those schools which do not return Racist Incident Monitoring Forms and remind them of their duties.

Accepted

We will include this in the briefing note in the first instance (see recommendation 3)

Claire Bibby

See 3

13. That more opportunities are found to share and celebrate good practice in tackling bullying in Tameside and that consideration be given to a local award for excellence in anti-bullying activity.

Accepted

The website will be crucial here. We also intend to develop the annual conference. We have a desire not to overload schools with awards: the Inclusion Standards will be launched in January 2007, and we want to encourage as many schools as possible to engage with the process of pursuing an Inclusive Schools Award. This, together with the Healthy Schools Standards, should address the issue of bullying in a holistic way.

Website and conference: Theresa Coughlan / Michele Roberts

Inclusion Standards: Jim Taylor

Website: see 1

Inclusion Standards launch: Spring Term 2007

14. That the Police be requested to give the same presentation about cyber-bullying to pupils and parents at other schools as that given to pupils at two high schools in Tameside.

Accepted

The PC linked to the Behaviour and Education Support Teams is engaged in the cyber-bullying strategy.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

Ongoing

15. That the Police take the opportunity to help raise awareness of cyber-bullying and bullying in general at suitable public meetings such as District Assembly Meetings.

Accepted

This will be referred to the Head of District Assemblies and the police.

Claire Bibby

December 2006

16. That tackling cyber-bullying be included in the new Anti-Bullying Policy for Tameside.

Accepted

This has already been included.

Achieved

N/a

17. That, in line with recently published government guidance, schools include cyber-bullying in the anti-bullying policy.

Accepted

We will include this in the school guidelines.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

March 2007

18. That the Council takes a lead on tackling text and online bullying as a community issue.

Accepted

We will refer this recommendation to the Head of Community Safety.

Claire Bibby

December 2006

19. That guidance is produced for parents about how to help protect their children from text and online bullying.

Accepted

We have already produced a pupil/parent -friendly version of guidance about cyber-bullying.

Achieved

N/a

20. That the Council consults parents about their role in tackling bullying and the support that could be offered by the Council and other organisations.

Accepted

We will do this, following the model used in the course of the Scrutiny investigation and through other formats.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

Ongoing

21. That the Council explores opportunities in the voluntary sector for the provision of support to children, young people and parents affected by bullying.

Accepted

We already use the voluntary sector through Childline and other organisations linked with the Anti-bullying Alliance . This will be signalled on the website once it is developed.

Theresa Coughlan Michele Roberts

See 1