Our school rejects all forms of bullying. All students and staff have the right to be treated fairly and with dignity in an environment free from disruption, intimidation, harassment, victimisation and discrimination.
All members of the school community contribute to preventing bullying by modelling and promoting appropriate behaviour and respectful relationships.
Definition of Bullying
Bullying is repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons. Cyberbullying refers to bullying through information and communication technologies.
Bullying behaviour can be:
- verbal eg name calling, teasing, abuse, putdowns, sarcasm, insults, threats
- physical eg hitting, punching, kicking, scratching, tripping, spitting
- social eg ignoring, excluding, ostracising, alienating, making inappropriate gestures
- psychological eg spreading rumours, dirty looks, hiding or damaging possessions, malicious SMS and email messages, inappropriate use of camera phones.
Conflict or fights between equals and single incidents are not defined as bullying.
Bullying behaviour is not:
- children not getting along well
- a situation of mutual conflict
- single episodes of nastiness or random acts of aggression or intimidation.
Our students are explicitly taught anti-bullying strategies and the importance of the role of being an upstander against bullying.
Please view our Wamberal Public School Anti-Bullying Plan for details of our strategies for protection, prevention, early intervention and response to bullying.