Anti-Bullying & Anti-Harassment Policy
The school believes that all members of the school community have the right to work in a safe and secure environment, free from all forms of harassment and bullying. We believe that harassment and bullying seriously affect the welfare and educational development of individuals.
Nathalia Secondary College is committed to eliminating all types of harassment and bullying and to providing an environment that promotes learning, personal growth and positive self-esteem.
AIMS
The aims of the Anti-bullying and harassment policy are:
To prevent bullying and harassment
To deal with bullying and harassment incidents as they occur
To provide methods of combating prolonged incidents by providing care for the perpetrator as well as for the victim
To offer strategies for assertive behavior to the victim
UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS
All staff share an understanding of what bullying and harassment mean
All staff will respond to such incidents with consistency
Immediate action is taken to intervene whenever bullying occurs
Staff and students will recognise the benefits of taking a stand against bullying
The whole school community is made aware of the Nathalia Secondary College’s stand is on bullying and harassment.
DEFINITIONS
Bullying is a pattern of repetitive behaviour by one person or a group towards another person or another group, which is designed to hurt, threaten or embarrass the other person or group. It may be physical, verbal, social or of a psychological nature.
At Nathalia Secondary College we would like to create an environment where:
- Bullying and harassment is not tolerated
- We can do something positive about it
Everyone can feel safe in the classroom, in the yard and whilst travelling to and from school:
- Students are able to report incidents of bullying and harassment
- Everyone takes responsibility to ensure that we have a safe and secure environment.
DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION
To enable this policy to be implemented effectively the following guidelines have been developed:
- The bullying and harassment policy is to be incorporated in the Code of Conduct
- A set of procedures is to be developed to enable teachers to employ in situations of bullying and harassment. A copy of these procedures is to be incorporated in the appendix of the Code of Conduct.
A survey of students is to be completed which will provide data on the following:
- The incidents of bullying and harassment in the school
- Where it occurs
- Who is involved in it and the development and maintenance of a “Register of Bullies and Harassers”
- A brochure be distributed to students which informs them of:
- Their right to a safe and secure school life
- Their right to report incidents of bullying and harassment
- Some strategies to develop assertiveness and self-esteem
Information is to be presented to parents via the school newsletter.
