Tomorrow (Friday 18 August), we will create positive action by strengthening connections with students, staff and the wider school community for the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. The theme this year is ‘growing connections,’ which highlights the significance of establishing meaningful connections and a shared sense of belonging. This approach aims to ensure that every student feels accepted, respected and supported.

It’s important that we understand what bullying is so that we can identify when a student needs help. The National Centre Against Bullying defines bullying as an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power through repeated verbal, physical or social behaviour that intends to cause harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their actual or perceived power over a person or group who feel unable to stop it from happening. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social and can occur in person or online.

We regularly have conversations about what constitutes bullying, and though we might sometimes classify certain behaviour as bullying, they may not always fit the definition. When we mislabel incidents as bullying, the term itself loses its meaning. Our intention is for people to hear the word and take it seriously. It’s important to differentiate between bullying and other negative interactions, such as conflict, disagreements, or isolated incidents of rude or unkind behaviour. While these behaviours are negative and upsetting for students, they do not align with the definition of bullying.

Our students have made a pledge to take a stand against bullying and work together to build positive connections with their peers.

Pledge Against Bullying

I solemnly pledge to stand up against all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, and to uphold the values of Care, integrity, resilience, and respect. I recognise that bullying can cause deep and lasting harm to individuals, their mental well-being, and their sense of self-worth. As a responsible and compassionate individual, I commit to the following principles:

Zero Tolerance for Bullying, combating Cyberbullying, Being an Enabler and Bystander No More, Upholding with dignity, and Respect, the rights of everyone in our community.

I understand that by taking this pledge, I am joining a community committed to creating a world where bullying and cyberbullying have no place. I acknowledge the power of my words and actions and vow to use them to promote kindness, empathy, and positive change.

As staff, we are committed to providing a safe and positive environment where students feel accepted and respected. As such, bullying is not tolerated. It is our policy that:

bullying be managed through a ‘whole-of-College community’ approach involving students, staff and parents/guardians
bullying prevention strategies be implemented within the College on a continuous basis with a focus on teaching age-appropriate skills and strategies to empower staff, students and parents/guardians to recognise bullying and respond appropriately
bullying response strategies be tailored to the circumstances of each incident
any cyberbullying incident that affects the wellbeing of a student will be addressed, even where initiated outside of school hours or school grounds
staff establish positive role models emphasising our no-bullying culture
bullying prevention and intervention strategies are reviewed, and their impact is evaluated, on an annual basis against best practice.

Students and their parents/guardians who report bullying can be assured that the College:

takes bullying incidents seriously
provides assurance to the student that they are not at fault and their confidentiality will be respected
takes time to properly investigate the facts including discussing the incident with the student, the bully and any bystanders
takes time to understand any concerns of individuals involved
maintains records of reported bullying incidents
will escalate its response when dealing with persistent bullies and/or severe incidents.

Actions that may be taken when responding to bullying include:

notification of/consultation with parents/guardians
offering counselling to persistent bullies/student
implementing effective follow up strategies
disciplinary action, at the Principal’s discretion, including suspension and expulsion of persistent bullies, or in cases of severe incidents.

We hope to raise awareness today and continue to create change moving forward. If your child requires support, please reach out to their classroom teacher or Head of Year.

Photo Gallery

Some highlights from Week 6, Term 3