All staff are aware that children can abuse other children we refer to this as peer on peer abuse. This can happen inside or outside of our setting and online. If staff have any concerns regarding peer on peer abuse, even if there are no reports in our setting, they should still speak to the DSL (or deputy).

The term bullying is not always appropriate when describing one off incidents, accidents, and those incident without intent or involving friendship fallouts. Never the less this may be undoubtedly upsetting for all concerned and the school will always seek to resolve the matter speedily.

In our setting we ensure that all staff, children and young people and visitors recognise that peer on peer abuse may be considered but not exclusively limited to (KCSiE 2021 para 49). This identifies  incidents which involve:

• abuse in intimate personal relationships between peers;
• physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm (this may include an element of online which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages physical abuse);
• sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages sexual violence);
• sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be stand-alone or part of a broader pattern of abuse;
• causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party;
• consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi nudes images and or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery);
• up-skirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm;
• initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).
• arm (this may include an element of online which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages physical abuse);
• sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages sexual violence);
• sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be stand-alone or part of a broader pattern of abuse;
• causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party;
• consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi nudes images and or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery);
• up-skirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm;
• initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).

It may also be behaviour that exploits or is linked to another’s persons vulnerabilities which may be linked to a Special Educational Need or including simply wanting to “fit in” with peers.

In some cases, some people may see verbal harassment against any personal characteristic  or sexualised comments as “banter”, “part of growing up”, “so common it is seen as normalised” - it is not.

This type of behaviour is NOT acceptable in our setting and all adults, and young people are expected to positively challenge any such incident, report it to Classteacher and the Designated safeguarding lead/s if appropriate.

All persons who need to report any unwanted, inappropriate, or hurtful behaviours whether they be on-line, in text type communications, on social media or in person to any member of our staff can be reassured that they will be taken seriously and supported to take any appropriate actions which may be in school or with external agencies as needed.