International School – where everyone is safe

Bullying in and out of schools is a problem that requires joint action by the state, the educational institutions and the parents. Solving this problem is among the greatest challenges faced by the educational institutions of the 21st century. This is why International School has developed prevention methods to ward off any form of bullying.

Although no cases of bullying have been recorded at International School, because of security precautions, we have designed a system that enables the school to react promptly in such situations, protect its students and remove the causes of bullying.

What is bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behaviour among school aged children that is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. It includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumours, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

There are four types of bullying:

• Verbal bullying – saying or writing mean statements.
• Social bullying – damaging someone’s reputation or relationships.
• Physical bullying – hurting a person’s body or possessions.
• Cyberbullying – bullying that takes place using electronic technology through social networks, SMS, chat and websites.

Prevention – Why is there no bullying at International School?

1. Healthy and secure environment

At school, the students are surrounded by teachers who possess excellent practical knowledge in pedagogy. During recess and during the time they spend in the out-of-class area, the students are safe as well, because the teachers are always present, whereas the school security never leaves the premises and they are always alert and ready to take appropriate action. International School also offers the option of organised transportation of the children to and from school, available to all students.

2. Together with parents against bullying

To prevent any aggressive behaviour among the students, special attention is dedicated to the school’s cooperation with the parents. They regularly receive notifications from the school about their child’s behaviour and results, and at the first signs of a problem or conflict among the students, the parents are duly informed. They are also invited to inform the school shall they notice any strange behaviour in the child, whether they suspect bullying or another problem they may have noticed.

3. Workshops and building the students’ emotional stability

Workshops on inclusion, tolerance and respect organised by the school’s psychologist and pedagogist contribute to creating a climate where bullying is strongly condemned, at the same time building the students’ understanding of each individual’s needs and the respect for differences. This way, the material concerned with the prevention of bullying is integrated into the school activities’ curriculum.

4. Preparations for a situation outside the school

Other schools’ experiences have shown that the children’s violent behaviour is often manifested outside the school – in the street, in parks, or other public spaces where the students spend their free time. Through developing interpersonal relations based on tolerance, understanding and respect, as well as the sporting spirit, the students at International School cover all these topics in lessons and workshops, so they can be prepared for out-of-school situations as well.

Students’ safety comes first

Shall an incident occur despite the International School’s security measures, the school’s employees will proceed according to the law. There is a clear procedure that is observed in such situations to protect all the participants.

At International School, the students’ safety and their physical and mental health come first. The methods we use to create a safe environment are constantly being finely tuned in order to be even more efficient and to fully eliminate the undesirable situations, including bullying, from ever happening in the first place. This is why there have never been cases of any kind of violent behaviour.

Should you notice any kind of violence – psychological or physical – at the school or in its vicinity, please report it by filling in THIS FORM.

This way you will help your peers, but also the school which will take all the necessary precautions so as to prevent such situations from happening.