St. Theresa’s, Albion

Anti-Bullying Policy

Rationale

St Theresa’s School is committed to providing a safe and productive learning environment for all students, developing their skills and knowledge to help them become more resilient. As a community we all work together to eliminate all forms of bullying and harassment. We teach ant- bullying and anti-victim behaviours to all students. We focus on the SEL competencies of self-management, self-awareness, responsible decision making, relationship skills and social awareness.

“Safety, a basic human right, is a pre-requisite for the Catholic School to be able to carry out its mission to educate.” (SACCS Child protection policy 2000)

At St Theresa’s School we have a clear commitment to building a community in which everyone feels safe based on the beliefs that:

 • We are all created in the image of God

• We all have the right to feel safe

• We all have the right to learn and work in a safe environment

• We all have the right to feel happy about whom we are

• We all have the responsibility to keep ourselves and others safe

• We all have the responsibility to respect ourselves, others and the property of others

we are committed to providing a safe and productive learning environment for all students, developing their skills and knowledge to help them become more resilient. We focus on the keys of Getting Along, Confidence, Perseverance, Organisation and Resilience.

Bullying

Bullying is a deliberate, repeated and unjustifiable behaviour, which is intended to cause fear, distress, embarrassment, humiliation and/or harm to others. It can be conducted by a more powerful individual or group against a less powerful individual or group, often on the grounds of ‘difference’. It results in the lowering of self-esteem and may cause the person to feel unsafe. Bullying is unwelcome and unacceptable. In all cases it must be challenged and stopped.

Types of Bullying

Physical

• Fighting, pushing, shoving, gestures

• Stand-over tactics, gangs, picking on others

Verbal

• Name calling, put downs

• Offensive language

 • Slander – (putting people down behind their back)

 • Teasing, making fun of others

• Offensive notes or graffiti about others

• Saying nasty things about others

• Threats to ‘get’ others

• Pressuring people to do things against their will

 Sexual

• Touching or brushing against someone after being asked to stop

• Unwelcome staring, whistling, gesturing or making comments about someone’s body, looks or clothing

• Writing and distributing rude or unpleasant notes about someone

• Telling jokes or showing reading matter or pictures that are offensive

• Making comments about another person’s sexuality

Racial

• Making degrading comments or gestures about another person’s culture, background or language

• Calling someone names because of their race

• Telling jokes or showing offensive material

• Deliberately excluding others because of their race

 Libel/Slander

• Spreading rumours or stories about someone or their family

• Writing anything offensive or untrue about someone or about groups to which they belong

 Digital

• Use of mobile phones, texting, emails, chat rooms, websites and blogs to slander, tease, make offensive remarks or threats to other people or to otherwise cause negative effects on their feelings or wellbeing. (Please see Social Media Policy)

• Transmission of electronic images via mobile phones, email or the internet that cause negative effects on people’s feelings and/or wellbeing

Rights and Responsibilities

Rights:

• Every person has the right to feel safe

 • Every person has the right to be treated fairly and with respect

 • Every person has the right to learn

Responsibilities:

At St Theresa’s School it is everyone’s responsibility to take the necessary steps to stop bullying behaviour. Staff, students and parents have the following responsibilities:

All staff will support, promote, enact, maintain and review the Anti-bullying policy and procedures. They will be responsible for being familiar with and implement the school’s Anti-bullying policy and procedures.

Teachers will:

• Listen to reports of bullying

• Attend to reported instances of bullying

• Inform the leadership team

• Protect the person being bullied from further harm

• Act to stop the behaviour recurring

• Record identified bullying incidents (see esmart record of behaviour template on the server)

• Provide explicit teaching on social skills and fair treatment of others. This will occur in Week 1 and 5 of every term.

• Provide strategies to students being bullied

Parents/Caregivers should:

• Be familiar with the school’s Anti-bullying policy and procedures.

• Listen supportively to reports of bullying.

• Speak to relevant school personnel (not the alleged student/s concerned).

• Work with the school in seeking a permanent solution.

• Be informed if there is significant bullying of or by their child.

Students should:

• Be familiar with the school’s action steps regarding bullying and harassment.

• Seek an adult to support them.

• Be responsible for their own behaviour towards other students and teachers.

Action Plan

This Action plan will be displayed in all classrooms. Individuals being bullied are encouraged to follow this action plan:

Consequences could include, but are not limited to, written/verbal apologies, time out, time out in Principal’s office, outside assistance etc. Developing a Culture to Prevent Bullying Prevention strategies assist students to become resilient. They are also designed to assist staff in developing skills and knowledge in this area and keep the school community informed.

Reporting Bullying

If you are bullied or you know someone who is being bullied please REPORT IT.

Who to report to:

Tell your teacher, the Principal, and tell your parents/caregivers.

How to report:

Tell the trusted adult where the bullying happened, how often it has happened and what you have done to try to stop it happening.

When to report:

Remember to report the bullying to a trusted adult as soon as it happens. When bullying is not dealt with it may get worse.

Management and Prevention of Bullying Incidents

• Assure the student being bullied that the incident will be dealt with.

• The student will be asked to explain the steps they have taken.

• All students involved will be interviewed.

• The Principal will be informed and the information will be recorded.

• The situation will be monitored.

• Parents will be informed at the principal’s discretion regarding support and consequences. Parents will be involved in the process of supporting their child in learning the appropriate ways of behaving responsibly.