Bullying Prevention

Bullying Prevention utilising the PBS framework

Research has demonstrated that teaching students prosocial behaviours including how to be an upstander (call out bullying behaviour rather than being a bystander) along with how to report bullying incidents greatly assist with reducing bullying. This is further supported by all staff having a consistent response to bullying. Below is an outline of our bullying prevention response utilising the PBS framework.

Teaching and reinforcing prosocial behaviours:

Each year in Life Skills (7-10), STEP and PDS (11-12) students are taught a learning sequence on the topic of bullying. This learning sequence covers the below key ideas. The learning sequence can be found in the relevant curriculum folder for each subject. All staff are able to reinforce prosocial behaviours using behaviour specific praise/verbal reinforcement and credits.

Lesson 1	What is bullying? What isn’t bullying? What are the types of bullying?
Lesson 2	How can we prevent bullying? How can we stop bullying by being upstanders?  Prevent lessons:  We THINK before speaking, writing and gesturing We include others We keep our body to ourselves We acknowledge others have different opinions  Response lesson:  We are upstanders
Lesson 3	What can we do if we are experiencing bullying? What will teachers do if we report bullying? Where else can we seek help?  – Strategies students can trial independently to respond to bullying  – Teacher’s response to unkind or mean behaviour that they observe  -  Minor continuum of response  – Teacher’s response to bullying when it is reported to them  – Two options: Support and strategies or Major continuum of response  – Other options for help seeking: Wellbeing team, online supports, phone supports, family and friend supports

We are upstanders behaviour procedure:

All staff can teach and reteach the below behaviour procedure to students.

1. We notice when someone is being disrespectful, unkind, unsafe or mean. We notice if someone is feeling uncomfortable. 
2. We don’t laugh when someone has been unkind. We don’t join in the unkind situation. 
3. We stand up for ourselves by using the “stop phrase”. 
4. We stand up for our peers/what is right by using the “stop phrase” or by calling it out calmly (using proper language) without creating a confrontation. 
5. If we have been saying/doing the unkind thing we say, “stop phrase response”.  
6. We support the person to move away from the unpleasant situation and tell an adult if something is wrong (We are upstanders). Staying calm and walking away is the mature thing to do.  
7. We check in with that person, at an appropriate time and place, to see if they’re OK. 

Staff’s consistent response to bullying or unkind behaviour that they directly observe:

When staff observe minor antisocial language or physical contact they are to use the below minor continuum of response which has been contextualised for the above two behaviours. ES staff are able to remind and reteach behaviours they are then to request the assistance of a teaching staff member to complete the remaining three steps (if necessary).

1. Remind the student to THINK before speaking, writing and gesturing/keep their body to themselves
2. Reteach the student how to THINK before speaking, writing and gesturing/keep their body to themselves 
3. Provide the student with a choice to apologise/rephrase what they said/say something kind about the person OR ask the student to move seats/location. Moving seats/locations can also provide the student/s with an opportunity to calm down.
4. Reengage the student/s with their work or activity 
5. Conference with the student, issue the logical consequence of time owed and record minor antisocial language or minor physical contact on Compass
   
   

Recording major bullying on Compass:

When a staff member observes repeated instances of bullying behaviour they are able to record the bullying on Compass using the major behaviour bullying chronicle template. The staff member should speak to the target about their observations and ask if the student/target would like to select option 1 or option 2. If the student does not want to select either option note this in the additional details box so that the observation is recorded and the YLEC know how to respond.

When a student reports bullying to a staff member the staff member is able to record the student’s report on Compass using the major behaviour bullying chronicle template. Please remember to indicate, by typing in the additional details box, whether the student has selected option 1 or option 2 as this will assist the YLEC to determine what response they need to take. The two options are outlined below.

If another student reports bullying, that they have observed, to a staff member assist this student to report this incident to a YLEC. The YLEC will discreetly speak to the student who is being bullied, provide them with the 2 options and record the major behaviour on Compass.

Providing students with two options when they report bullying to a teacher:

All students will be provided with the below two options when they report bullying to a staff member. These two options will also be taught to students during Life Skills, STEP and PDS.

Option 1: The staff member (not a CRT) listens to the student and provides strategies to trial (if required)

1. The first thing the teacher will do is listen 
   1. The teacher will then ask the student what strategies they might have already tried 
   1. The teacher can then support the student to brainstorm additional strategies (if required). If the student suggests a consequence prompt the student to consider selecting option 2 (see below strategies).
   1. The teacher will phone the student’s parent/guardian to inform them of what has been happening and what strategies the student wants to trial. This will assist the parent to provide support. The teacher will tell the parent/guardian that we will be monitoring the situation as a team. 
   1. The student can return to the teacher at a later time and say they’d like to move to option two if option one hasn’t addressed the bullying.
   1. The teacher will check back in with the student in in 2-3 days time to see how things are going and if the suggested strategies have worked. During this first check in the teacher and student will negotiate a second check in. The student will be encouraged to come and see the teacher at a particular time, but if the student is nervous or hesitant the teacher can arrange to find the student to check in for a second time. 

Option 2: A staff member can assist the student to work with a YLEC to follow the major behaviour logical consequence steps  

•           Major conference with both students (separately)

•           Phone parents (of target and bully) 

•           Have parent meetings (SSGs)

•           Issue consequences to the bully 

• Reflect and reset 
• Internal suspension 
• External suspension 

•           Offer mediation/restorative practice 

•           Offer student wellbeing team support

•           The situation will be monitored by the year level team/s. Students will be encouraged to continue to speak to the year level teams if the bullying continues.