YARRAVILLE WEST PRIMARY SCHOOL BULLYING PREVENTION POLICY 1. Rationale Page 2 2. Definitions - What is bullying - Types of bullying - What is not bullying - Further advice 2 2 2 2 3 3. Awareness Strategies & Programs 3 4. Implementation 4 5. School Actions and Consequences 4 6. Appendices 5 7. References 8 Title: Bullying Prevention Policy Version: 1.1 Ratified by: YWPS School Council On: 27 May 2015 Revision date: May 2016
YARRAVILLE WEST PRIMARY SCHOOL Bullying Prevention Policy 1. RATIONALE At YWPS we believe that all children have the right to feel safe and have the right to work and play in a secure and caring environment without intimidation, harassment or bullying by others. We strive to keep our students happy, healthy and safe so that they might reach their full educational potential. However, we acknowledge that all schools experience occurrences of bullying. It is our belief that a comprehensive engagement policy and bullying prevention policy will, together, allow us to best support the needs of our students, parents and teachers. 2. DEFINITIONS These definitions are sourced from the Alannah and Madeline Foundation Bullying Hurts brochure of 2015. (Appendix 1: Bullying Hurts.) What is bullying Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflicts or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying. Types of bullying Verbal or written abuse - such as targeted name calling or jokes, or displaying offensive posters. Violence - including threats of violence. Sexual harassment - unwelcome or unreciprocated conduct of a sexual nature, which could reasonably be expected to cause offense, humiliation or intimidation. Homophobia - and other hostile behaviours towards students relating to gender and sexuality. Discrimination including racial discrimination - treating people differently because of their identity. Cyberbullying - either online or via mobile phone. What is not bullying Mutual conflict which involves a disagreement, but not an imbalance of power. Unresolved mutual conflict can develop into bullying if one of the parties targets the other repeatedly in retaliation. Single-episode acts of nastiness or physical aggression, or aggression directed towards many different people. Social rejection or dislike is not bullying unless it involves deliberate and repeated attempts to cause distress, exclude, or create dislike by others. Further advice The Australian Education Agencies website Bullying. No Way!, and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation s Bullying Advice Centre offer considerable further reading, covering topics including: Signs that your child might be being bullied. page 2
What to do if your child is being bullied / cyberbullied. What to do if your child is bullying others. A list of further resources and contact details for several organisations that can help families in the event of bullying. 3. AWARENESS STRATEGIES & PROGRAMS WITHIN YWPS YWPS strives to meet the changing needs of our students, with respect to bullying and cyberbullying. Examples of awareness strategies and programs currently in place are outlined below. esmart: In 2015 YWPS achieved its esmart status. The Alannah and Madeline Foundation developed esmart. esmart is a world-leading, evidenced based cybersafety and wellbeing program designed to help Australian schools reduce cyberbullying and bullying. It aims to make cybersafety a normal part of every young person's life by equipping them to use technologies in ways that protect them from the associated risks, (esmartschools.com.au). In an esmart school, the smart, safe and responsible use of information and communications technology is a cultural norm and, whilst the esmart program is predominantly focused on the safe and responsible use of digital technologies, it also relates to our overall school values, by illustrating that the expected behavioural norms still exist within our new technological landscape. "It is important to remember that this is an issue of behaviour, more than it is of technology. We really need to get serious about behaviour and support schools to focus on building a culture of respect and caring in addition to teaching the traditional academic subjects." (Dr Judith Slocombe CEO, The Alannah and Madeline Foundation.) Digital Technologies Acceptable Use Agreement: Our work with the esmart program highlights our need to equip the students at YWPS to be responsible digital citizens. All students are required to sign a Digital Technologies Acceptable Use Agreement in order to use technologies at school. This agreement is reviewed and signed (in conjunction with parents) in Prep, at the beginning of Grade Three and at the beginning of Grade Five. Our Grade Six students complete their esmart Digital License, created and launched by the Alannah and Madeline Foundation in 2015. (Our esmart Ambassadors helped establish guidelines for students, relating to the use and misuse of technology, and these guidelines form part of the Digital Technologies Acceptable Use Agreement for Grades 3 6.) Bullystoppers Survey: Bullystoppers survey data, collected annually from students towards the end of each year, provides information about bullying, and perceptions of bullying at our school. Our 2014 data showed that most incidents of concern for our students occur in the yard and, as a result, we have improved the lines of communication between teachers on yard duty and the process of incident reporting. Bulldoze Bullying Brochure: YWPS students spent time defining what they think is, and is not, bullying. A group of students (with staff guidance) wrote and illustrated the Bulldoze Bullying Brochure; a guide written by students, for students, which has been widely circulated. (Appendix 2: Bulldoze Bullying.) Bullying Hurts Brochure: The Bullying Hurts brochure, produced by the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, is distributed electronically, annually in Term One, to our parent community. Hard copies of the brochure are available in the office. (Appendix 1: Bullying Hurts.) 4. IMPLEMENTATION: What YWPS does to prevent bullying In the classroom, we: Incorporate wellbeing based units at the start of each year. Promote the use of the three step rule (which can be found in Appendix 2: Bulldoze Bullying). page 3
Teach our school values, emphasising respect, resilience & responsibility, in relation to bullying. Reinforce positive behaviour, to encourage positive interactions (in the classroom and the playground). Teach problem solving strategies, so that students have skill-sets to use in any situation. Raise awareness of what it is to be an effective bystander, to enable students to make safe and sensible choices in the face of bullying behaviour. As a whole school community, we: Are observant for signs of distress, or incidents of bullying. Actively supervise, during yard duty, to help prevent bullying. Actively teach students to be assertive. Timetable friendship groups to promote positive relationships and grow resilience. Promote Harmony Day and the National Day of Action Against Bullying. A list of key strategies and programs used by YWPS to promote wellbeing and minimise negative behaviours is found in the Student Engagement Policy. 5. SCHOOL ACTIONS & CONSEQUENCES All complaints of bullying will be handled as promptly as possible, then time will be taken to provide all those involved with an opportunity to discuss the issue and, later, to be informed of the school s course of action. Most incidents will initially be dealt with by the class or yard duty teacher, in accordance with our incident management procedures. (Appendix 3: Yard Duty Incident Management Flow Chart & Appendix 4: Classroom Incident Management Flow Chart.) Incidents of repeated, or ongoing, bullying or incidents of a serious nature will be referred to the Leadership Team who will deal with them in the following manner: 1. Meet individually with the students involved (victim and bully/bullies). 2. Give the bully the opportunity to make amends for his / her behaviour. This is to be acceptable to the victim. 3. Determine appropriate action to be taken. Depending on the seriousness of the case, this may involve; timeout, strict supervision, counseling and / or suspension. 4. Inform, or involve, parents / carers. 5. Inform Regional Office or Health & Community Services, if deemed necessary. 6. Seek referrals to appropriate outside agencies. 7. Hold follow up meetings to discuss the progress of all the parties involved. page 4
6. APPENDICES Appendix 1: Bullying Hurts Brochure Bullying is serious 27 per cent of young people report they are bullied every two weeks or more often. Cyberbullying happens to about one in five young Australians every few weeks or more often. Many young people who bully online also bully face to face. Some young people who are bullied later go on to engage in bullying others. Bullying can seriously damage physical, social and emotional health. Bullying hurts the perpetrator as well. Young people who bully over time are more likely to engage in ongoing anti-social behaviour and criminality, have issues with substance abuse, demonstrate low academic achievement and be involved in future child and spouse abuse. Who can help? Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 www.kidshelp.com.au Cybersafety help www.cybersmart.gov.au Australian Federal Police www.afp.gov.au ReachOut.com au.reachout.com Beyondblue www.beyondblue.org.au Bullying. No way! www.bullyingnoway.gov.au The Australian Psychological Society www.psychology.org.au To download an electronic version of this brochure, visit the National Centre Against Bullying (NCAB) website: www.ncab.org.au Contact us The Alannah and Madeline Foundation is a national charity keeping children safe from violence. The Foundation was set up in memory of Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged six and three, who along with their mother and 32 others were tragically killed at Port Arthur, Tasmania on 28 April 1996. The Alannah and Madeline Foundation PO Box 5192 South Melbourne Vic 3205 t (03) 9697 0666 f (03) 9690 5644 e info@amf.org.au w amf.org.au Bullying hurts foundation partner Copyright 2015. Disclaimer: The information contained in this brochure was correct and up to date at the time of printing, and may be subject to change. What is bullying? Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physical and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullying can happen in person or online, and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders. Single incidents and conflicts or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying. Types of bullying Verbal or written abuse - such as targeted namecalling or jokes, or displaying offensive posters. Violence - including threats of violence. Sexual harassment - unwelcome or unreciprocated conduct of a sexual nature, which could reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or intimidation. Homophobia - and other hostile behaviour towards students relating to gender and sexuality. Discrimination including racial discrimination - treating people differently because of their identity. Cyberbullying - either online or via mobile phone. What is not bullying? Mutual conflict which involves a disagreement, but not an imbalance of power. Unresolved mutual conflict can develop into bullying if one of the parties targets the other repeatedly in retaliation. Single-episode acts of nastiness or physical aggression, or aggression directed towards many different people. Social rejection or dislike is not bullying unless it involves deliberate and repeated attempts to cause distress, exclude, or create dislike by others. Signs that your child might be being bullied It s not always easy to tell if a young person is being bullied, as sometimes they don t want to disclose what s happening to them. If you notice a significant change in behaviour, this could be cause for concern. Other signs can include changes to mood or eating and sleep patterns; withdrawal from family, social groups or friends; decline in school performance or unwillingness to attend; lost, torn or broken belongings; scratches or bruises, or implausible excuses for any of the above. What to do if your child is bullying others Stay calm. Remember, the behaviour is at fault, rather than the child. Make sure your child knows bullying behaviour is inappropriate and why. Try to understand the reasons why your child has behaved in this way and look for ways to address problems. Encourage your child to look at it from the other s perspective, for example, how would you feel if Help your child think of alternative paths of action. Provide appropriate boundaries for their behaviour. Things you can do if your child is being bullied 1. Listen to your child s story Try to listen to the whole story without interrupting. Be empathic, calm and validate what your child says. Ask what your child would like to happen, before making suggestions. 2. Have a conversation about what happened Try not to let your emotions get involved as it might deter your child from talking to you. You ll help them more if you stay calm. Remind your child it s normal to feel hurt, it s never OK to be bullied, and it s NOT their fault. 3. Make a record of events Note all incidents of bullying, including what, when and where they occurred, who was involved and if anybody witnessed the incidents. 4. Work with your child s school to find a solution Find out if the school is aware of the bullying and whether anything has been done to address the situation. Check your school s bullying policy. Make an appointment to speak to your child s teacher or wellbeing coordinator. Follow up with another meeting to ensure the situation is being addressed. Remember, they are there to help. 5. Find other ways to support your child Coach your child to use neutral language or, if appropriate, joking language in response, and explain that it is better to stay away from unsafe situations if possible. Don t offer to confront the person yourself. Encourage your child to get involved in extra-curricular activities such as sports and hobbies where they can spend time with other young people. page 5
Appendix 2: Bulldoze Bullying Brochure Tips to help you if you are being bullied These tips come directly from the Grade 3/4 students surveys. Cybersafety GREAT KIDS If someone is bothering you: Stay away from them Ask your friends for help Stay around the teacher and your friends Ignoring is the key, then they will go away Make people aware that you are being bullied Walk away, don t retaliate Talk to people that can help Talk to your family Stay with people you are comfortable with Talk to a yard duty teacher Stand up for yourself Stand up for other people Keep away from the bully, or try and make friends with them Talk to them about it and if they don t listen, talk to the teacher Use the three step rule Stay strong How to keep people happy and safe: Play games that everyone can play Be friendly to everyone Join a lunchtime club Avoid anyone who bullies others Compromise with your friends Try and include people who might be left out A tip if you are being a bit of a bully Talk to your family or your teachers. Maybe there is a reason you are being mean and they can help you sort it out. Written by the Grade 6 esmart Ambassadors: If you are sent something that you feel is inappropriate via email, text message or social media, this is what you should do: Tell your computer teacher/class teacher if you are at school. Tell your parents if you are at home. Ignore it, but don t delete it. Take a snapshot of the screen. Don t reply and don t react. This is what the sender wants you to do. Here are some technology tips for you to remember: Keep your passwords secret. Don t sign up for apps that you are not old enough to have. Things that you post or send stay there forever. Think before you click! * * * Our Values Always have Respect for other people. Try to show Resilience when things go wrong. We all have a Responsibility to look out for each other because we are part of a Team. Everyone has the right to feel safe and happy at our school. Bulldoze Bullying Brochure Tips for Kids at Yarraville West Primary School Launched in 2015 by Alessandra W, Ben H, Ellie F, Harold T, Jack B, Macsen S, Tjula H, Sabrina V and Sarah S Definitions of Bullying As defined by Grade 3/4 students in 2014 What is Bullying? Bullying is when one or more people deliberately and repeatedly hurt or harm others. If someone does something mean once, it might just be a bad day. But if it happens multiple times, it is bullying. Last year 164 Grade 3/4 students were surveyed about bullying at Yarraville West Primary. The data showed that over half of the kids have never had any problems. The 3 Step Rules Prep Grade Two Bullying is not: A fight with your friend. It s okay to disagree with someone. A one-off event - everyone makes mistakes. Not liking someone. It s okay not to like someone as long as you don t try to cause them any problems. The data also showed that for the people who have been bullied, most of the incidents happened in the yard. Grade Three - Six Types of Bullying Physical Bullying This includes things like hitting, kicking, pushing, punching, pinching Verbal Bullying This includes nasty comments, shouting or calling people names. Covert Bullying This kind of bullying can happen behind people s backs. Cyberbullying This kind of bullying happens using digital technologies. It can be in public or in private and can happen at any time. Always keep an eye out for the yard duty teachers as they are there to help you. Make sure you try using the 3 Step Telling Rule (Prep Grade 2) or the 3 Step Resolution Rule (Grade 3- Grade 6) first though: This year, you will see the teachers on yard duty carrying around Yard Duty Folders. If you let them know about anything bad that happens in the playground, they will write it down and help you sort it out. If someone is behaving inappropriately, they might have a consequence such as missing some of their playtime or walking with the teacher. If it s a really serious incident it will be followed up later too. page 6
Appendix 3: Yard Duty Incident Management Flow Chart page 7
Appendix 4: Classroom Incident Management Flow Chart 7. REFERENCES Bullying. No Way!, 2015. Available from: http://www.bullyingnoway.gov.au The Alannah and Madeline Foundation 2015, Bullying Hurts. Available from: http://www.amf.org.au Bullying Advice Centre, n.d., Available from: http://www.amf.org.au Dr Judith Slocombe, n.d., esmart Schools: About Us. Available from: https:// www.esmartschools.org.au/general/pages/aboutus.aspx esmart Schools: About Us, 2015. Available from: https://www.esmartschools.org.au/general/pages/ AboutUs.aspx page 8