Rationale
Altona Meadows Primary School actively seeks to provide a safe, supportive, learning environment that is free from all forms of intimidation and harassment.
Bullying is a form of anti-social behaviour that has no place at Altona Meadows Primary School. It is the responsibility of every member of the school community to ensure that bullying behaviour is actively rejected.
To provide a comprehensive, universally understood definition of bullying behaviour and to outline strategies for all members of the school community to combat social, emotional, physical and all other forms of intimidation.
Bullying is a behaviour, which can be defined as a repeated action – physical, verbal, psychological or social by those in a power on those who are powerless to resist, with the intention of causing distress for their own gratification. (Besag, 1989)
Bullying usually has three common features:
It is deliberate, hurtful behaviour
It is repeated often over a period of time
It is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves
There are three main types of bullying:
Physical: hitting, kicking etc taking belongings
Verbal: name calling, insulting, racist remarks
Social/Emotional: Spreading nasty stories, excluding from groups
Guidelines
All members of the school have a responsibility to recognise bullying and to take action when they are aware of it happening.
An anti-bullying program will be run in each grade as part of the social skills program each year.
Staff, and parents will be offered training in approaching bullying issues.
All staff should treat any report of bullying seriously and take action.
Staff should first listen to the student or students, and make such enquiries as may be necessary to clarify exactly what has been happening.
The student/s should be assured that they have acted correctly in reporting the bullying.
The staff member should make a written summary of the information (dated) and pass it on to the unit leader, assistant principal or principal as appropriate.
The emphasis must be on changing the behaviour of the bullying student/s, while providing support for the student/s who have been harassed. (method of ‘shared concern’).
The staff member should attempt to give advice on how to deal with any repeat incidents that may happen before the intimidation can be dealt with.
Follow up should be discussed with the student. It is important that the staff member checks a week or so later with both the student and the person to whom the information was sent.
An effort should be made to contact the parents of all involved students.
Structure Sanctions
Buddy
system Punitive –
well advertised consequences
Student Representative Council Student Code of
Conduct
Transition Programs Non-punitive–Method
of Shared Concern
Student Welfare Coordinator No Blame
Approach
Regular school assemblies that support,
Inform & promote school ethos
Encourage family involvement
Relevant content, thorough
Implementation, maintenance and review of
School’s Discipline Policy and Anti-Bullying Policy
Library open at
lunchtime Curriculum -
social skills program
Suitable activities for wet day timetable
- health topics
Availability of sports equipment Extra
Curricular programs for selected students
Well supervised school grounds
by yard duty staff.
Remind vulnerable students to play Communication
skills between
where they can be
seen.
teacher/student
student/student
parent/teacher
Visitors that support the skills, values
and attitudes of the school.