At our school, we are committed to providing a safe and respectful environment where bullying is never accepted. We take a proactive, whole-school approach to prevent bullying by teaching positive behaviours, fostering inclusive relationships, and promoting empathy and respect. When issues arise, we respond promptly using restorative practices to support all students involved and to repair harm. Every student has the right to feel safe, supported, and valued at school.
To provide a safe and positive learning environment that fosters respect and responsibility and encourages all members of the school community to endeavour to achieve their full potential.
BULLYING is NOT TOLERATED at Anzac Park
This Bullying Prevention and Intervention Policy sets out the structures and strategies designed to prevent incidents of bullying and also provides structures and strategies whereby an incident of bullying made known to the school are dealt with promptly and the outcomes achieved are in the best interests of all involved.
Types of behaviour
- Physical Bullying: This involves physical actions such as hitting, pushing, obstructing or intimidation. Damaging, stealing or hiding personal belongings is also a form of physical bullying.
- Psychological Bullying: This is when words or actions are used to cause psychological harm. Examples of psychological bullying include name calling, teasing or making fun of someone because of their actions, appearance, physical characteristics or cultural background.
- Social bullying: This includes consistently excluding another person or sharing information, images or other digital content that will have a harmful effect on the other person.
Setting—in person and online
Bullying can happen in person or online settings. When bullying occurs online, it is known as cyberbullying. Verbal, physical and social bullying can happen in person.
Verbal, physical and social bullying can happen in person.
Verbal and social bullying can happen online, as can threats of physical bullying.
Online settings have added complexities which can create additional concerns for students, parents and carers, and teachers. For example, cyberbullying includes the potential for content to be recorded, distributed and viewed by an audience far beyond what was intended.
What Bullying is Not
There are many negative situations which, whilst being potentially distressing for students, are not bullying. These include:
- Mutual Conflict Situations: These arise when there is disagreement between students but not an imbalance of power. Mutual conflict situations need to be closely monitored as they may evolve into a bullying situation.
- One Off Acts: These may include: loss of temper, aggression, thoughtlessness, inappropriate jokes or humour, carelessness, shouting or swearing.
Indicators of Bullying
Each individual student who has been bullied or is bullying others will respond and act differently. A student's behaviours and moods can also change for a variety of reasons. However, the following are some signs that may indicate a student is experiencing bullying:
Signs a teacher may notice:
- becomes aggressive and unreasonable
- starts getting into fights
- refuses to talk about what is wrong
- school grades begin to fall
- student is often alone or excluded from friendship groups at school
- student is a frequent target for teasing, mimicking or ridicule at school
- change in the student's ability or willingness to speak up in class and appears insecure or frightened
Signs a parent may report:
- doesn't want to go to school
- changes their method or route to school or are frightened of walking to school
- changes in sleep patterns
- changes in eating patterns
- frequent tears, anger, mood swings
- unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches
- missing or damaged belongings or clothes
- arriving home hungry
Parents/carers are encouraged to recognise signs of bullying and notify the school through a trusted staff member immediately (such as a Class Teacher, Stage Assistant Principal or Deputy Principal), if they suspect their child is a victim of bullying.
Reporting Concerns about Bullying
All staff will treat any report of bullying, including cyberbullying, seriously and take appropriate action as outlined in the School's Behaviour Support Management Plan. All complaints related to bullying, including those involving digital technology, will be addressed fairly and in a timely manner. It is crucial to focus on the behaviour exhibited rather than labelling the student involved. Bullying incidents can vary significantly in severity, impact on the victim, and frequency. Since most bullying behaviour is often hidden from adult supervision, all allegations will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. This involves understanding the specifics of the incident, evaluating it against the definition of bullying, and implementing the school’s bullying response flowchart below.
Bullying Response Flow Chart
The following flowchart explains the actions staff will take when they receive a report about student bullying, including bullying which may have occurred online or outside of the school setting. The timeframes will vary depending on the professional judgment of staff who receive the bullying complaint and their assessment of immediate risk to student/s. As a guide, the ‘document’ phase should occur as soon as possible following notification and the ‘collect’ and ‘discuss’ phase within one week of initial notification. The ‘review’ phase should occur one week after the Bullying Action Plan has been implemented and repeated four weeks following implementation. ‘Ongoing follow-up’ should occur ten weeks following implementation. This process is the responsibility of the stage Assistant Principal with the support of the Deputy Principal/ Principal.
Bullying incidents vary widely in their severity, impact on the target, and frequency. Most bullying behaviour is hidden from adults’ view, and as such all allegations are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. This means getting an understanding of exactly what happened, considering it in relation to the definition of bullying and then implementing the school’s bullying procedures.
Preventing Bullying
Anzac Park Public School is committed to providing a caring, welcoming and safe environment for all students so they can grow and learn in a respectful and secure learning environment. The following initiatives form part of our overall student wellbeing and positive behaviour approaches to create a ‘No Bullying’ culture at Anzac Park Public School:
Whole School
- Clear communication of the school’s anti-bullying policies and procedures
- Promotion of a zero tolerance to bullying philosophy
- School assemblies to raise awareness of the school’s anti-bullying policy and develop students’ social emotional learning
- Active identification and intervention for students requiring support
- Maintaining records detailing student behaviour and monitoring of students involved in bullying behaviours
- Implementation of programs to promote positive behaviours
- Education, training and professional development of staff in bullying prevention and response strategies
- Regular provision of information to parents/ carers to raise awareness of bullying as a school community issue to equip them to recognise signs of bullying, as well as to provide them with clear paths for raising any concerns they may have relating to bullying directly with the school
- Promotion of a supportive environment and a safe school culture, that encourages the development of positive relationships and communication between staff, students and parents/carers
- Review data and ongoing monitoring of incidences across the school to inform team problem solving processes across the school
Classroom
- Talk about bullying
- Implement a series of stage appropriate anti-bullying lessons each year
- Designate the classroom as bully free
- Discuss with students strategies for reporting bullying
- Encourage students to be proactive so that appropriate support can be provided to those students involved in any incident
Support for you and your child
Shared Responsibility
We expect all members of our school community to share in the responsibility of building a safe and secure school.
School staff have a responsibility to:
- Respect and support students
- Model and promote appropriate behaviour
- Have knowledge of school and departmental policies relating to bullying behaviour
- Respond in a timely manner to incidents of bullying according to the school’s Anti-bullying plan
- Provide curriculum and pedagogy that supports students to develop an understanding of bullying and its impact on individuals and the broader community
Parents and caregivers have a responsibility to:
- 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
- Support their children to become responsible citizens and to develop responsible online behaviour
- Report incidents of school related bullying behaviour to the school
- Work collaboratively with the school to resolve incidents of bullying when they occur
All members of the local school community have a responsibility to:
- Model and promote positive relationships that respect and accept individual differences and diversity within the school community
- Support the school’s Anti-bullying plan through words and actions
- Work collaboratively with the school to resolve incidents of bullying when they occur
Bullying is a behaviour the student is using, not their identity. When children can’t read, we teach. When children can’t comprehend, we teach. When children can’t behave, we teach.
Anzac Park Public School is committed to promoting an environment of fairness, diversity and recognition of all students, staff, and parents. Our entire community works as one to preserve a respectful community environment.
Further Support and information
A free, private and confidential, 24-hour telephone and online counselling service for young people aged between 5 - 25 years
The Bullying no way website has been developed in collaboration with other government and non-government authorities from the Commonwealth, States and Territories. It showcases strategies that have proven to be successful in increasing safety and reducing bullying and harassment in schools throughout Australia.
Racism No Way is an extensive source of information about racism and anti-racism education. It provides links to tools for investigating and combating prejudice and racism in schools, teaching and learning resources K-12, activities for students and reference materials
Reach Out is an online resource that assists young people by providing information to improve understanding of the issues that relate to mental health and wellbeing. Reach Out also has information on how young people can get the best help from services, as well as opportunities to connect with other young people.
Cyber Safety provides activities, resources and practical advice to help young kids, kids, teens and parents safely enjoy the online world. Cyber Safety also offers training and resources for schools and materials for library staff. Developed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Cyber Safety is part of the Australian Government’s cyber safety program.