School Profile - Student Well-being - Policies

ANTI-BULLYING

Davidson High School is committed to combating bullying in a proactive way. As a school community we believe that everyone has the right to feel safe and enjoy being at school. Our anti-bullying policy and procedures have been designed to ensure this happens.

Bullying involves any behaviour that is deliberate and intended to hurt. It can involve threats, physical violence and/or harassment. Such behaviour can include pushing or hitting, rumour spreading or name calling, humiliation or ridicule, racist, sexist or homophobic remarks, forcing a person to do silly or dangerous things. It can use methods such as graffiti, note passing, texting, email and chat rooms. Bullying can be subtle and may be missed by observers.

Bullying can be devastating with the effects lasting a life time. It can cause misery for the person who has been targeted, leading to anxiety, low self esteem and absenteeism from a school. For the bully, he/she grows up believing harassment, violence and intimidation can solve problems and have little empathy for targets. Bullies and targets alike can run the risk of truancy, dropping out of school and are unable to take a positive role in society.

ANTI-BULLYING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Bullying is totally unacceptable at any time, including travelling to and from school. This is summed up in the "Fair Go At Davo" statement.

1. Staff are trained to be observant and report any suspected bullying. Teachers will also listen to students concerns about bullying and report it to the appropriate person on the welfare team or school executive.

2. Intervention will occur. Firstly support will be given to the target and strategies provided to effectively deal with the bully, e.g., how to be assertive rather than timid or aggressive.

3. Bullies will be given clear consequences for acts of bullying, usually in line with the level system. They will also be counselled on how to positively modify their own behaviour.

4. For those situations where the target has also been behaving inappropriately, mediation may be appropriate in resolving the bullying-conflict situation.

5. As part of the anti-bullying plan, each year time is set aside to revisit the issue of bullying. Through year meetings and small group discussions, students are reminded that bullying is unacceptable and are made aware of the procedures in place to deal with bullying.

6. The school also promotes "Be a Better Bystander" behaviour and has a "Hands Off" policy in place. Implementation of these complement and promote the anti-bullying policy.

FAIR GO AT DAVO

The "Fair Go At Davidson" policy states that:

• Bullying is unacceptable and should not occur;

• Everyone has the right to feel safe and enjoy being at school;

• Everyone is responsible for his/her own actions and words;

• People should be respected for who they are;

• Adults must respond if a child comes to them about being bullied.

If you or a friend are being subjected to bullying or anything else which is making you unhappy, speak up. The school will help to resolve this situation.

BETTER BYSTANDER BEHAVIOUR

At Davidson High School we encourage students to take responsibility for finding solutions to bullying issues. This is the "Be A Better Bystander" policy:

• Be a part of the solution, not part of the problem;

• Don't join in the bullying;

• Show the bully you disapprove;

• Speak up for the person being targeted;

• Offer support to the person being targeted; and

• Seek adult help if nothing is working.

HANDS OFF

Often physical interactions which start off as a "bit of fun", escalate into a real problem. It is not "fun" if you are always on the receiving end.

Where such behaviour is concerned, we need clear and firm guidelines to ensure a safe and happy environment. To this end the school has a "hands off" policy.