Anti-Bullying Policy

To ensure that Social Model Senior Secondary is a supportive, caring and safe learning environment, where everyone feels valued and respected.

Definition: Bullying is defined as deliberately hurtful behavior, as an isolated incident or repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend them. The three main types of bullying are:
 physical e.g. hitting, kicking, theft
 Verbal e.g. name calling, racist remarks, homophobic remarks.
 Indirect e.g. spreading rumours, excluding someone from social groups, recording or distributing inappropriate messages/video footage (cyber bullying).

All staff, students and parents/carers should:
1. Acknowledge that bullying occurs and is the responsibility of the whole school community.
2. Take any reports of bullying seriously and use a solution oriented approach to address the issue.
3. Recognize that bullying may be a result of relationships breaking down, lack of empathy or due to a need to control or humiliate.
4. Organize the community in order to minimize opportunities for bullying, e.g. provide ‘safe haven’ for vulnerable students, ensure adequate supervision at problem times.
5. Use opportunities to discuss aspects of bullying and highlight the appropriate ways to behave towards each other, e.g. Assemblies, PSE lessons, Tutorial Program, Friendship Day, and Peer Mentoring Program.
6. Deal quickly, firmly and fairly with any complaints, involving parents where necessary.
7. Record and monitor bullying incidents.
8. Encourage students to report any act of bullying.
9. Endeavour to block and monitor access to inappropriate internet chat rooms or websites.

Approaches to resolve bullying
If bullying is suspected/reported, staff should listen and talk to the victim, the alleged perpetrator and any witnesses. Written reports from each of these should be collated. If any degree of bullying is identified, one or more of the following approaches should be adopted depending on severity:
 Parental contact
 Conflict resolution with mediation – Pastoral staff carry out restorative work with victim and perpetrator(s) to resolve the issue.
 Peer support – trained students support as mentors to the victim.
 Sanction (recommended where the behavior has been calculated to harm, dominate or humiliate)
The student who has been bullied will be supported in the following ways:
 Informing and/or meeting the parents/carer.
 Offering them an immediate opportunity to discuss their experience with a member of staff, the School Counselor, a Peer Mentor.
 Offering continuous support such as counseling to help restore self-esteem and confidence
 Arranging for support to and from school premises.
We also endeavour to help students who have bullied in the following ways:
 By discussing the incident to determine the reasons behind the bullying and establish solutions to prevent future incidents.
 Informing the parents/carers.
 By continuing to work with them in order to try to change prejudiced attitudes.
 By taking part in a monitored program for restorative practice using solution oriented skills.
One or more of the following disciplinary steps may be taken:
 Warned officially to stop offending.
 Inform and meet the parents/carers.
 Possible exclusion from certain areas of the school premises.
 Arrangement made to be escorted to and from the school premises.
 Suspension – internal or external.
Advice for Parents/Carers related to bullying
 Your child should be fully aware of the school procedures regarding bullying.
 Look for unusual behavior in your child, e.g. sudden reluctance to attend school, feeling ill regularly or not completing work to their usual standard and advice school immediately if you suspect your child may be a victim of bullying.
 It is important that parents/carers advise the child not to fight back.
 Reassure them that the matter will be dealt with sensitively in school.
 Monitor your child’s access to the internet and consider informing the police regarding cyber bullying (via the internet or mobile phone)
 Advise school of any concerns of bullying outside school, which may affect learning and behavior