Preamble
Randwick Boys' High School is a dynamic and diverse learning community which encourages all school members to respect and accept individual differences and promote fairness for all.
Randwick Boys' High School has a zero tolerance for bullying.
We acknowledge that bullying exists in our society. It is the responsibility of the whole school community to work together to address bullying. Our school plan will help the school community to recognise and challenge bullying behaviour and increase proactive responses from bystanders.
Policy
This policy provides the framework used to identify and manage acts of bullying in our school, and is guided by advice contained in the following:
- DEC Student Welfare Directorate: https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/lists/directoratesaz/stuwelfare/index.htm
- DEC Anti-bullying: https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/lists/directoratesaz/stuwelfare/behaviourprgms/antibullying/index.htm
- Bullying: Preventing and Responding to student Bullying in Schools Policy: https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/discipline/bullying/PD20100415_i.shtml?level=
- Randwick Boys' High School- Anti Bullying Policy RBHS Anti Bullying Policy (pdf 214 KB)
Purpose
Randwick Boys' High School seeks to promote quality education that will help students to become lifelong learners and good citizens. These outcomes are much less likely to be achieved when students are bullied.
Students, teachers, parents, caregivers and members of the wider school community such as volunteers have a shared responsibility to create a safe and happy environment, free from all forms of bullying. Specifically, they have a responsibility to:
- Promote positive relationships that respect and accept individual differences and diversity within the whole school community.
- Support and promote the development of the Anti-bullying Plan.
- Actively work together to resolve incidents of bullying behaviour when they occur.
- Support and promote an environment whereby all students are safe and are respectful learners.
Each group within the school community has a specific role in preventing and dealing with bullying.
Definition of bullying behaviour:
- Bullying is a deliberate attempt to make someone feel uncomfortable, unhappy or devalued.
- The bully deliberately tries to harm, harass, humiliate or distress a victim in order to gain power. Bullying can be planned and organised or it may be unintentional. Individuals or groups may be involved.
Forms of bullying:
Bullying can involve any form of harassment based on sex, race, religion, disability or sexual orientation. It can be expressed in different forms including:
- Verbal: e.g. Name calling, teasing, abuse, putdowns, sarcasm, insults, threats, harassment and insults against a student and/or his family, etc.
- Physical: e.g. Spitting, mucking around that goes too far, hitting, punching, kicking, scratching, tripping, pushing, biting, pulling hair, throwing objects at another person, invading personal space to intimidate, etc.
- Social/Psychological: e.g. Ostracising (group consents to deliberately exclude or ignore), alienating (one or more people excluded), making inappropriate gestures to humiliate, mocking others, spreading stories and rumours, hiding, damaging or stealing possessions, note passing with inappropriate comments or stand-over tactics, e.g. demanding money, etc.
- Cyber: e.g. Use of technology to ostracise, attack or hurt a person/group. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as mobile phones, computers, tablets, as well as communication tools such as social media sites, chat and website. Examples of cyber bullying include mean text messages or emails, rumours sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
Procedures
Ongoing strategies to prevent bullying behaviour:
- Inform students about the Anti-bullying Plan through Whole School Assemblies, Year Assemblies, Roll Groups and school diaries.
- Inform parents and caregivers about the Anti-bullying Plan through P&C meetings, school newsletter and parent meetings.
- Ensure that all staff are aware of the Anti-Bullying Plan and adhere to the contents.
- Provide students with strategies to respond positively to incidents of bullying behaviour, including responsibilities as bystanders or observers. These strategies are to be taught as part of the Personal Development/Health course. Bullying themes will also be explored in literature and drama.
- Identify and discuss bullying behaviour and strategies through the Positive Behaviour for Learning social skills and after school detention lessons.
- Run specific anti-bullying programs which are reinforced through the Well-being programs.
Reporting Bullying Incidents:
Students who have experienced bullying should speak to the class teacher in the first instance. Parents or students should contact the Year Adviser if the bullying is repeated after this. The Head Teacher Well-being or Deputy Principal may be addressed if bullying behaviour is continued. The method of reporting is outlined below.
Randwick Boys' High School understands that this procedure may vary. This could be because of the severity of the incident or some other reason.
1.Students
Randwick Boys' does not condone bullying. Students have responsibilities to one another as they do to themselves. Students should be aware that allegations of bullying will be taken seriously and acted on. A student may:
- Challenge bullying behaviour that they witness
- Report any incidents of bullying they witness
A STUDENT SHOULD
- Not engage in any behaviour that they know to be bullying
- Cooperate with teachers' investigation of bullying incidents
- Report bullying they experience
2.Step One: Teacher Level
Considerable responsibility rests with the teacher to respond to incidents of bullying reported to her/him. The teacher should ascertain where possible if the event constitutes bullying and mediate wherever possible. When the teacher observes or is told about a bullying incident, the teacher may:
- Challenge the inappropriate behaviour and speak to all students involved, collect data and investigate incident. This may include collecting Student Incident Reports.
- Issue a caution. The teacher will explain that the incident will be registered on Sentral and that the year adviser notified
- Explain to students involved what behaviour constitutes bullying by referring to the above definition
- If the situation is resolved, no further action is required, however;
THE TEACHER SHOULD
- Monitor the Sentral Welfare minutes regularly to be aware of bullying issues reported by the Well-being team. Incidents of bullying involving the same students already reported through Welfare team minutes should be referred to the HT Well-being directly.
- If the situation is serious, potentially ongoing or if bullying behaviour persists, the teacher should directly refer the student/s to the Faculty Head Teacher and Year Adviser
- Record incident on Sentral. The ‘Notification' box should be ticked, and the Year Adviser informed.
3.Step Two: Year Adviser Level
When the Year Adviser is informed by a parent, teacher or student of a bullying incident, the
Year Adviser may:
- Interview the students involved, investigate the incident and collect data
- Ensure students involved complete a Bullying Incident Report
- Conduct a mediation session
- Send a letter to parents/caregivers informing them that their son has been bullying other student/s
- Refer victim and/or bully to the counsellor, where appropriate
- Contact the parents/caregivers of the victim
Where more than one incident is reported or mediation breaks down, THE YEAR ADVISER SHOULD
- Issue the perpetrator with a caution. The Year Adviser will explain that the incident is already registered on Sentral and that the Head Teacher Well-being is now informed
- Add to the incident register on Sentral, outlining the interventions used
- Inform the welfare team during the next meeting
4.Step Three: Head teacher Well-being Level
If the bullying behaviour persists or mediation process breaks down, the student will be referred to the Head Teacher Well-being.
The Head Teacher Well-being may:
- Interview students, investigate incident and collect data
- Identify consequences for the bully. This may include school detention(s)
- Refer bully and/or victim to the counsellor
When informed of ongoing bullying, THE HEAD TEACHER WELL-BEING SHOULD
- Report the incidents to the staff through the Well-being meeting minutes
- Phone parents/caregivers of the victim and bully and arrange interview as required
- Raise ongoing bullying incidents during the executive meeting
5.Step four: Deputy Principal Level
If the bullying behaviour persists, mediation process breaks down or it is a serious incident of bullying the student will be referred to the Deputy Principal.
The Deputy Principal will:
- Interview students, investigate incident via prior collection of data.
- Take action against the bully. This may include suspension (in consultation with the Principal).
- Phone parents/caregivers of the victim and bully and arrange interview as required.
- Refer bully and/or victim to the counsellor.
6.Step five: Suspension (Principal discretion)
If the bullying behaviour persists the student will be suspended by the Principal for persistent disobedience.
Monitoring, evaluation and reporting
- A record of bullying incidents and resolutions will be kept centrally on Sentral.
- Annual surveys of students, teachers and parents/caregivers will be used to evaluate the extent to which the Anti-bullying Plan has been effective.
- The Anti-bullying Plan will be reviewed annually by the Anti-Bullying Review team.
- Monitoring information will be used to identify emerging patterns and trends and will be used to modify the Anti-bullying Plan accordingly.