RPS - Anti-Bullying Plan

RosemeadowPublic School

Anti Bullying Plan - NEW 2011

Bullying behaviour is not tolerated in NSW Government Schools.

(Anti-Bullying Plan for Schools, Department of Education and Training, Memorandum PD 2006 / 0316, Student Welfare Directorate 2007) This is certainly the case at Rosemeadow Public School.

Bullying is defined as intentional, repeated behaviour by an individual or group of individuals that causes distress, hurt or undue pressure. Bullying involves the abuse of power in relationships and can involve all forms of harassment (including sex, race, disability, homosexuality or transgender), humiliation, domination and intimidation of others.

Bullying behaviour can be:

¿ Verbal eg name calling, teasing, abuse, putdowns, sarcasm, insults, threats

¿ Physical eg hitting, punching, kicking, scratching, tripping, spitting

¿ Social eg ignoring, excluding, ostracising, alienating, making inappropriate gestures

¿ Psychological eg spreading rumours, dirty looks, hiding or damaging possession, malicious SMS and email messages, inappropriate use of camera phones.

(Anti-Bullying Plan for School, Department of Education and Training, PD/2004/0050/V001, 28/01/05)

Bullying includes:

Statement of purpose

Students attend school to participate in quality education that will help them to become self directed, lifelong

learners who can create a positive future for themselves and the wider community.

Any inappropriate behaviour that gets in the way of teaching and learning at the school and interferes with the

wellbeing of students cannot be accepted, including cyberbullying.

Students, teachers, parents, caregivers and members of the wider school community have a shared

responsibility to create a safe and happy environment, free from all forms of bullying.

Students, teachers, parents, caregivers and members of the wider school community can expect

• that students will be safe at school, free from fear of bullying, harassment and intimidation

• to be involved in the collaborative development of the school Anti-bullying Plan

• to know what is expected of them and others in relation to the Anti-bullying Plan

• that all students will be provided with appropriate support when bullying occurs.

Students, teachers, parents, caregivers and members of the wider school community have a responsibility to

• promote positive relationships that respect and accept individual differences and diversity within the whole school community

• contribute to the development of this Anti-bullying Plan and support it through words and actions

• actively work together to resolve incidents of bullying behaviour when they occur.

Each group within the school community has a specific role in preventing and dealing with bullying.

Students can expect to

• know that their concerns will be responded to by school staff

• be provided with appropriate support

• take part in learning experiences that address key understandings and skills relating to positive relationships, safety, gender equity, discrimination, bullying and harassment.

Students have a responsibility to

• advise teachers of any bullying or teasing

• behave appropriately, respecting individual differences and diversity

• follow the school Anti-bullying Plan

• behave as responsible bystanders

• behave as responsible citizens

• respond to incidents of bullying according to the Anti-bullying Plan.

Parents and caregivers have a responsibility to

·  support their children to become responsible citizens and to develop responsible on-line behaviour

·  be aware of the school Anti-bullying Plan and assist their children in understanding bullying behaviour

·  support their children in developing positive responses to incidents of bullying consistent with the school Anti-bullying Plan

·  report incidents of school related bullying behaviour to the school

·  work collaboratively with the school to resolve incidents of bullying when they occur.

·   support all students of the school to deal effectively with bullying

·   support activities and initiatives of the school to minimise bullying and teasing.

Schools have a responsibility to

• develop an Anti-bullying plan following the guidelines established by the Dept. of Education and Training

• inform the students, parents, caregivers and the community about the School Behaviour Policy and

Anti-bullying Plan

• review the plan annually or as the need arises

• provide reports to the school community on time-out, detention, suspension and expulsion trends through the annual school report.

• provide students with strategies to respond positively to incidents of bullying behaviour, including responsibilities as bystanders or observers

• provide parents, caregivers and students with clear information on strategies that promote appropriate behaviour, and the consequences for inappropriate behaviour

• communicate to parents and caregivers that they have an important role to play in resolving incidents of bullying behaviour involving their children

• follow up complaints of bullying, harassment, intimidation and victimisation.

Teachers have a responsibility to

·  behave appropriately, respecting individual differences and diversity

·  behave as responsible digital citizens

·  follow the school Anti-bullying Plan

·  behave as responsible bystanders

·  report incidentsof bullying according to their school Anti-bullying Plan

·  record details of bullying and teasing on RISC.

Principals are responsible for:

·  implementing the policy within the school

·  submitting a copy of the school's Anti-bullying Plan to the school education director whenever it is reviewed

·  reporting annually to their school community on the effectiveness of the school's Anti-bullying Plan

Responsibilities and Delegations-

Staff, students, parents and caregivers at Rosemeadow Public School have a shared responsibility in making sure that bullying behaviours are dealt with quickly and effectively whenever they occur.

We realise that bullies are everywhere in our society, not just in our schools. We also realise that even though we may do everything in our power to prevent bullying, there will still be bullies. Therefore we have strategies to deal with both the people being bullied and those doing the bullying.

Managing Bullying

As outlined in our Student Welfare Policy, one-off incidents of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with by the class or playground teachers as they arise. If the inappropriate behaviours are repeated, whether they are verbal, physical, social or psychological, then other strategies come into action.

At the outset, all students are consistently reminded that they have the right to come to school and feel happy and confident in their learning and play, free from bullying and harassment. No-one has the right to make another person feel worried or uncomfortable. If someone is making a student feel like this, then they must tell someone about it. Bullying only flourishes in a culture of silence or not telling. Telling someone about bullying behaviour is not "dobbing" it is merely asserting their right to feel safe and happy while at school and while coming and going to school.

Strategies When a Bullying Incident is Observed or Reported:

¿ The incident is investigated by the teacher to whom it has been reported;

¿ The teacher determines whether or not the incident is bullying, according to the agreed definition;

¿ If it is not bullying the incident is dealt with by the teacher in accordance with the Student Welfare Policy;

¿ If it is bullying the incident is dealt with using the following strategies-

1. Interview with bullies. This is done alone, one by one, starting with the student seen as the group leader. This is a non-adversarial interview designed to emphasise the concern of the person who is being hurt or elicit some empathy and to come to some agreement as to what the person might do to help the victim. During the meeting the teacher remains calm, empathetic, never angry or indignant and respect is shown for the bully as a person.

2. Interview with the victim. This is done in a supportive manner and the aim is to explore ways in which the victim can behave to minimise the chances of the bullying being repeated. This may involve the victim being shown assertive behaviour or reducing behaviour which may be provoking the bullies.

3. Follow-up with bullies and victims. It is essential that daily follow-up takes place. This involves asking the bullies individually how they have followed through what they agreed to do to help the victim, and asking the victim how they are progressing and whether or not there have been any further incidents. The follow-up is initially carried out daily, then tapered off if all is going well.

4. If the bullying behaviour does not stop as a result of this intervention, then the usual sanctions of the Student Welfare Policy will be implemented. There will be a need to keep working with the victim at this time to support them and make sure that they continue to problem solve to try to make sure that there is not something else they can do to prevent the bullying from re-occurring. This may have to be carried out by a member of the executive, depending when the bullying incidents come to light.

Communicating Bullying Plan and Procedures

It is important that at least once each year, the whole school community is reminded of the school's

Anti-Bullying Policy. This will be done through the school weekly Newsletter. It is important to reemphasise

at this time that it is all right for students to tell if they are being bullied.

Professional learning regarding these procedures needs to be done every two years or when there is a significant change in staff in any one year. At this time an evaluation of the Anti-Bullying Plan will take place. At these times it may be necessary to survey the students, staff and parents to see how widespread the bullying is at our school.