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Whole school community

Building a safe and supportive school and preventing bullying

Involve staff, parents and students in collaboratively developing and implementing an active whole school plan, involving staff, parents and students, to address bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence.

Raise awareness about the policy and practices across the whole school community through assemblies, posters and other communication channels

• Summary
• Examples
• Resources

Summary

To achieve positive change, school communities need to understand, and own an agreed approach to bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence.

Achieving this requires an ongoing process to develop awareness, understanding, skills and support for more equitable practices. Modelling is a key component of this process.

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Examples

• A small primary school promotes a behaviour management philosophy based upon rights and responsibilities of the whole school community. The 5Cs (be courteous, be caring, use commonsense, be cooperative and show consideration) are displayed throughout the school and reiterated on school assemblies and in class meetings. These rules are for students, carers, staff members and visitors to the school.

• To help a peer mediation program to stay alive and flourish, a secondary school has kept it visible and available through:

  • promotions in school assemblies
  • articles in the school's magazine, parent newsletters and the local newspaper
  • student form notices
  • recognition of the work of the student mediators.

  Schools in action:
  Problem solving through peer mediation

• A small inner city primary school has integrated social skills teaching and awareness raising across the school. The school aims to increase students' sense of belonging and their ability and confidence to make good personal choices and demonstrate respectful behaviour towards others.

  • Each week, a social concept is presented to the whole school at a special assembly where teachers present a poster and role-play the relevant skill.
  • Classroom lessons teach and reinforce the concept through oral and written communication.
  • Teachers and students use the common language in and out of class.
  • Students who have demonstrated understanding of the concept are recognised at the next assembly.
  • A huge mural, created by a local Indigenous artist working with students and staff, depicts life's journey down the right pathways through teaching, learning and support. Each student's and staff member's handprint is part of the painting and new students add theirs when they enrol.
  • The mural's central image has been created into a small badge which all staff wear every day. Achieving this badge is the aim of all the young people. To gain the award they work through a four-step process called 'Steps to Stardom'. A great sense of ceremony and tradition is developing, with young people eager to earn their 'steps' along the pathways.

  Schools in action
  Pathways to positive peer relations

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Resources

• Bullying: Information for Parents
  http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/
  publications_resources/summaries_brochures/
  bullying_information_for_parents.htm
  
  Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

  An online brochure that assists carers in identifying signs that their child is being bullied, and provides ideas for what to do if it happens.

• What Can You Do About Bullying?: A Parent's Guide
  Griffiths, C (1995)

  A booklet for parents distributed by Meerilinga Young Children's Foundation, fax (09) 321 1608, 1186 Hay Street, West Perth WA 60005.

• Addressing Bullying Behaviour: It's Our Responsibility
  http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/wellbeing/
  safeschools/bullying/
  
  Department of Education, Employment and Training, State of Victoria
  
  This Victorian government education website provides information and guidelines, teacher and student resource materials including online video clips and examples of school practice.

• Bullying in Schools and What to do about it
  Rigby, K. (1996)
  Camberwell, Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research.

  Covers topics including consequences of bullying, linking understanding to practice, developing a plan for action, working with the individuals involved, their families and other students.

• Changing Theories and Practices of Discipline
  Slee, R. (1995)
  London: Falmer Press.

  An analysis of recent changes to discipline policies and regulations in Australia in relation to international trends. Focuses on a critical re-examination of the school discipline issue and processes for schools to consider in developing their own responses to challenging classroom behaviour. The development of 'discipline' is distinguished from other concepts such as 'control' or 'punishment'

• Racism. No way! website
  http://racismnoway.com.au/
  CESCEO (2000)

  A comprehensive resource that assists teachers and students to address the challenges relating to racism. The website includes information to assist in recognising and addressing racism in schools; teaching strategies and opportunities for teachers and schools to share their approaches; and a large annotated bibliography on topics such as countering racism; cultural diversity and multiculturalism; migration and refugees; and stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. Developed by Australia's government, independent and Catholic schooling sectors.

• Responding to School Violence: an annotated bibliography of resources to assist schools in responding to School Violence.
  Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (formerly DEST) (1999)