Bullying Prevention

Standing Up to Bullying at Castlemaine Secondary College

At Castlemaine Secondary College, we believe every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and supported at school. That’s why we take bullying seriously—and have clear steps in place to prevent it, respond when it happens, and support everyone involved.

What We Do to Prevent Bullying

We take a whole-school approach to creating a positive and respectful environment. Some of the ways we do this include:

• Teaching respect, kindness and inclusion through our Respectful Relationships program.
• Training all staff in the Berry Street Education Model, which promotes strong, caring relationships between teachers and students.
• Running workshops and forums at each year level to talk about bullying—what it looks like, how to respond, and how to support each other.
• Encouraging students to speak up if they see or experience bullying, and to support their peers in positive ways.

What Happens When Bullying Is Reported

When bullying is reported, we act quickly and carefully. This might include:

• Speaking with everyone involved (including students, families and staff).
• Offering support to the student who has been targeted, and to others affected.
• Providing guidance and support to the student responsible, helping them understand the impact of their actions.

Sometimes we use restorative practices - this means bringing the students involved together (only if it’s safe and appropriate), and supporting them to talk through what happened. The goal is to repair relationships, help the student who has caused harm understand the impact of their actions, and agree on a way forward.

Depending on the situation, we may also involve counselling, mediation, and other supports. If needed, disciplinary action may also be taken, which could include lunchtime or after-school detention or in more serious cases, suspension. 

Let’s Work Together

We encourage all families to stay in touch with us. If you’re concerned your child is experiencing bullying, or if they’ve seen something that worries them, please contact their Mentor Teacher, Precinct Leader, Wellbeing Team or any teacher at CSC. The sooner we know about it, the better we can help.

For more information, our full Bullying Prevention Policy is available on the CSC website.

Together, we can make our school a safer and more respectful place for everyone.