"The Personal Best program has meant that our job as teachers has become easier. Children are motivated to improve their
behaviour and attitude to others. I'm spending
more of the day being positive and less
time grumbling at kids."

...Teacher

Ours is a multicultural city primary school within a socioeconomically disadvantaged community. The school has four major cultural communities - Vietnamese, Macedonian, Malay and Aboriginal - and some students from other countries.

Where It Began... We had been experiencing an all-time low in student social skills. We saw this in increasing numbers of playground conflicts and students unable to deal with these conflicts.

Getting Started... Staff and administrators attended the 'Safe Schools, Friendly Schools' conference. They discussed preventive and restorative justice approaches to bullying, with these aims:

• Improve school culture and ethos.
• Increase modelling by staff of positive behaviour.
• Increase opportunities for building relationships between staff and students.
• Empower students to develop and obtain personal goals.
• Decrease violence and bullying.
• Encourage students and parents to talk about bullying issues.
• Deal effectively with bullying incidents.

How We Went About It... We put these strategies into place at the whole school, classroom, and individual level. Whole school

• On a daily basis, the Personal Best Club recognises students for academic and homework achievements, respecting people and property and taking pride in appearance.
  This program covers behaviour in the classroom and playground. Students volunteer for the program, nominate themselves and wear student-designed badges. Staff review applications. Achieving students receive certificates and awards.
• The school community was encouraged to be a 'telling school' and talk about bullying issues and incidents in assemblies, newsletters and classroom discussions.
• We respond immediately to any parental concerns and provide feedback to the parents on the interventions. We check later to see if the bullying has stopped. Restorative approaches, especially the method of shared concern, are helping to stop bullying.
  

• Structured skills sessions assist students to develop and practise options for difficult social situations.
• Classes set class goals for behaviour and relationships.
• Teachers use class meetings to resolve classroom conflicts, develop empathy between individuals and groups and consider community and world issues.
  

• Individual case management helps students with aggression problems address their behaviour.
• Students can set personal, academic and behaviour goals.
  

What We Are Learning... Violent and volatile incidents in the school have decreased. Bullying incidents are decreasing or being dealt with early.

Students problem-solve, take responsibility and reflect on their behaviour. They are motivated to do their best.

Half the students are in the Personal Best Club and the numbers are growing. Student engagement in learning is starting to improve.

Staff feel that these strategies have made a difference to the ethos and culture of the school.

In contrast to punitive measures that didn't work or at times resulted in retaliation, restorative approaches such as the method of shared concern are achieving much better results for everyone and the bullying usually ceases.

What's Next... We review and improve every year on what we've done.

"I came from another school and I can tell you that at this school parents are respected. Parents are treated as equals and not
less than teachers. Their ideas are heard and action is taken.
We are treated seriously. This is a great school!"

...Parent