Bullying Prevention

In 2022 the College will be launching a student led and designed bullying prevention initiative. The School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Leading Teacher assisted the students to utilise the PBS framework when developing their bullying prevention initiative.

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 student led bullying prevention initiative.

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 following key ideas. All staff are able to reinforce prosocial behaviours using behaviour specific praise/verbal reinforcement and credits.

We are upstanders behaviour procedure

At Cranbourne Secondary College we are upstanders. This means we stand up and calmly speak out when we see bullying happening. Below if a behaviour procedure that all students will be taught. When a student uses the stop phrase “That’s enough” the bully is to stop saying and doing whatever is hurtful/harmful and simply respond with the stop phrase response “OK”.

We are upstanders behaviour procedure

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 “That’s enough”. 
4. We stand up for our peers/what is right by using the stop phrase “That’s enough” 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 “OK”.
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 observe:

When staff observe, bullying, antisocial language or physical contact between students they are to use the below minor continuum of response which has been contextualised for the above two behaviours. Education Support (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

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 be taught to students during Life Skills, STEP and PDS. Students are able to select any staff member they trust and feel comfortable reporting the bullying to. Students can select option 1 initially and then select option 2 at a later stage if the bullying has not been addressed by option 1. Students are also able to immediately select option 2, when they report the bullying to a staff member, if they feel this is the most appropriate option.

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 to what has been occurring 
2. The teacher will then ask the student what strategies they might have already tried  
3. The teacher can then support the student to brainstorm additional strategies (if required). If the student suggests a consequence the teacher will prompt the student to consider selecting option 2 (see below strategies).
4. 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/guardian to provide support. The teacher will tell the parent/guardian that we will be monitoring the situation as a team.  
5. 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. 
6. 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 Year Level Engagement Coordinator (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.

Strategies to suggest to students during option 1

The below strategies will be taught to students during Life Skills, STEP and PDS. If a student reports bullying to a staff member and selects option 1 the below strategies will be discussed with the students as well.

• Keep your distance from the bully/remove yourself from the situation 
  You can ask your friends to hang out with you in a different location in the school yard or select a different seat in the classroom. If your class has a seating plan speak to your teacher and let them know you’d like to move seats as someone is bullying you.
• Don’t bully them back
  People who bully others want attention. When you bully them back you are giving them attention and also giving them a reason to keep bullying you. It’s best to walk away and ignore a bully that way they don’t get the attention they are looking for.
• Practice responding
  Take some time to think about what you will say to the bully if they bully you again. Practicing what you are going to say in advance makes it easier for you to confidently say your response in the moment. Make sure what you say in response isn’t also something that others would consider mean or bullying. You can practice responding with a friend, family member or trusted adult. 
• Tell them what they are doing is not ok
  Use our College stop phrase “_____________” or politely tell them using other words that what they are doing isn’t OK. Sometimes people think that their jokes are funny and they don’t realise they are hurting you. It’s important to speak up and let them know that what they are saying or doing is not OK.
• Control your emotions
  It’s natural to get upset or angry when we are being bullied, but that’s what the bully thrives on. Do your best to take a deep breath and walk away from the bully. Once you’ve moved away talk to a friend or an adult about what happened. Talking through what happened can help you develop strategies to respond next time and can help you to feel calmer.  
• Talk to an adult you trust
  All students at Cranbourne Secondary College are encouraged to report bullying to a staff member that they trust and feel comfortable with. That staff member will provide you with two options to select from. See page 18 of the student diary for more information about these options. Alternatively you can speak to an adult you trust in your family, home or community group.
• Ask a teacher to help you restore or repair the relationship
  Sometimes two students might need an adult/teacher to help them work through their problem, difficulty or misunderstanding to become friends again or to learn how to be respectful acquaintances. For this strategy to work both the bully and the target need to feel comfortable and agree to take part in the restorative conversation. 
• Take time to do something nice for yourself
  When we experience bullying we can often feel less confident, stressed or down. It’s important to take some time and look after our self by doing something we find nice, enjoyable and relaxing. This is different for everyone but you might like to exercise, see a friend, listen to music, draw, watch TV or a movie, bake, read or go for a walk. 
• Don’t respond to online bullying
  Responding to the bullying online is giving them attention. This will encourage the person to continue bullying you. Ignore them, don’t respond and delete the comment, message or post if you can.
• Block or unfriend people who bully you online
  If someone continues to bullying you online block or unfriend them so that they can no longer contact you online. This will prevent them from being able to bullying you online.
• Switch off your phone or computer and enjoy some offline time
  Taking breaks from technology (phones, computers, laptops, ipads and tablets) can help you to avoid bullying and create in person connections with your friends and family. Technology breaks also allow you to do some other things that you enjoy and find rewarding.
• Have someone help you report cyberbullying/Screen shot or save images of the bullying 
  If the bullying online is ongoing/continual or is very severe/bad you can have someone help you report the bullying. If you screen shot and save images of the bullying this will help you to report the bullying.
• Request a referral to the student wellbeing team
  You can ask the teacher you have reported the bullying to for assistance with a referral to the student wellbeing team. The student wellbeing team can support you to develop assertiveness, confidence and ways to manage anxiety and your emotions. A YLEC will enter this referral into Compass and a member of the student wellbeing team will contact you. Please note your parents might need to provide consent for you to see a member of the student wellbeing team.

Recording major bullying on Compass:

Staff will record all incidents of bullying on Compass. This will allow the Sub-school teams and Year Level Engagement Coordinators to track bullying behaviour over time, across classes and year levels.

Who do I contact if I have further questions about bullying or bullying prevention at CSC?

If you have further questions about bullying prevention please contact the School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support Leader by phoning the College on 5996 3544. You can also download our Bullying Prevention Policy from the College website.

If you have questions about bullying that may be impacting your child or others at the College please contact the relevant Year Level Leader by phoning the College on 5996 3544.