Revised DfE guidance on bullying & Ofsted Inspections

Revised DfE guidance on bullying

Maintained schools – preventing and tackling bullying

The DfE has removed the document Safe to learn: embedding anti-bullying work in schools from their website and replaced it with the policy document Behaviour and discipline in schools: a guide for headteachers and school staff. It can be found on the DfE webpages on preventing and tackling bullying. The new document outlines the government’s approach to bullying, legal obligations and the powers that schools have to tackle bullying, and the principles which underpin the most effective anti-bullying strategies in schools. It also lists further resources through which school staff can access specialist information on the specific issues that they face.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/516/516i.pdf

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmeduc/writev/behaviour/we73.htm

Implications for Ofsted inspectors

All Ofsted inspectors will familiarise themselves with the new DfE document and take account of it when conducting inspections of maintained schools.

Independent schools - s162a inspections and pre-registration visits

Under Part 3 Welfare, health and safety of pupils of the ROIEJ guidance on conducting a s162a inspection, there is a reference on page 26 to the DfE’s guidance on bullying (Safe to Learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools). This document is also referred to in the schools’ self-audit check list and in the guidance to schools. As the DfE has removed the Safe to Learn document from their website and replaced it with the policy document ‘Behaviour and Discipline in Schools, inspectors of independent schools are also asked to familiarise themselves with the new DfE document and take account of it when conducting either a pre-registration or a full inspection of an independent school. This change will be reflected in the update to inspection instruments for the autumn term.