LGS Safeguarding Policy

LGS Safeguarding Policy Against Harassment and Bullying

  • LGS is fully committed to establishing and maintaining a working and learning environment that is free from harassment and bullying of any kind and where
    all persons are treated with courtesy, dignity and respect.
  • Harassment and bullying are unlawful and will not be tolerated by LGS under any circumstances. Any member of the LGS community found to be engaging
    in such behaviour will be subject to appropriate penalties.
Harassment means written, verbal, sexual, virtual or physical conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile or 0ffensive environment and adversely affects a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the school’s educational programs or activities, their employment, or causes an overall impairment of his/her morale. Bullying is an unwarranted expression of aggression via verbal, electronic, written or physical communication, towards an individual and/or group, by an individual and/or group. Bullying puts the persons at a reasonable risk
of harm and causes emotional distress and may also lead to the person’s ability to benefit from his/her education/employment due to the creation of a hostile environment
  • LGS recognises that anyone can be a victim of harassment and bullying, regardless of their sex and of the sex of the harasser/bully.
  • LGS absolutely prohibits romantic or sexual relationships between members of the school community in a supervisory position with a student and strongly discourages such relationships between employees.
Who it applies to? Where it applies? Which incidents it applies to?
The School Community: persons engaged with LGS in various capacities including, but not limited to students, faculty (visiting/permanent), parents, administrators, coaches, guests, staff members such as laboratory
staff, accounts and HR staff, janitorial staff, guards and others employed or enrolled by LGS on a permanent, contractual or voluntary basis.
  • All on-campus behaviour, which includes the use of electronic and social media on-campus as well as behaviour on school owned or rented property such
    as buses or vans.
  • Off-campus behaviour taking place during school-sanctioned activities.
 It prohibits all incidents of harassment and bullying of the school community whether it takes place within school premises or at school sanctioned activities outside the school premises.
Who can report? Where to report?
  • the complainant directly or,
  • a friend or family member of the complainant or,
  • a witness to the incident or,
  • an employee of LGS.
 A 3-member Inquiry Committee set up by the school to specifically  deal with complaints of harassment and bullying. A report can be made to the Committee in any of the following ways:

  • in person (oral complaint) or
  • in writing via the official email address or complaint box
How to report?

The complainant is encouraged to provide the following details when reporting:

  • Who the complaint is against;
  • Facts/description of the incident, to the best of complainant’s knowledge;
  • Number of occurrences, with dates and places, to the best of complainant’s knowledge;
  • Any documents or other materials which are related to the incident, if possible;
  • Names and statements of the witnesses
  • What action is requested
  • Contact information
Penalties If Found Guilty of Harassment or Bullying

  • Dismissal/Expulsion
  • Suspension
  • Reduction or deduction of salary (employee)
  • Tendering a written and/or oral apology, to the Complainant privately or before the student body as a whole, as considered appropriate in the case and
    also taking into account the request of the Complainant
  • Legal action/remedy

Falsifying a complaint with an intention to malign, actively assisting the bully/harasser, lying or deliberately misleading during investigation and failure to report an offence under this Policy by the staff are also strictly prohibited and punishable under the school policy
Who will Monitor the Implementation of the Policy?

LGS will establish a permanent Review Panel to oversee the implementation of the Policy.