At Burwood Public School, we aim to create positive relationships with and among our students and with our staff to ensure shared meaning and create an inclusive environment at our school. We believe that all school stakeholders, particularly staff, students and parents, need to be aware of strategies to identify and respond to incidents of bullying.
What is Bullying?
Bullying behaviour has three key features. It involves the intentional misuse of power in a relationship. It is ongoing and repeated, and it involves behaviours that can cause harm.
Bullying behaviour can be:
- verbal e.g. name calling, teasing, abuse, putdowns, sarcasm, insults, threats.
- physical e.g. hitting, punching, kicking, scratching, tripping spitting.
- social e.g. ignoring, excluding, ostracising, alienating, making inappropriate gestures
- psychological e.g. spreading rumours, dirty looks, hiding or damaging possession, malicious SMS and email messages, inappropriate use of camera phones.
Conflict or fights between equals or single incidents are not defined as bullying.
Anti-Bullying
The NSW anti-bullying website brings together information and resources for teachers, students, parents and carers. It helps to identify, prevent and respond effectively to student bullying, including online bullying. It provides information about online safety and what you can do if your child has been bullied, witnessed bullying or been involved in bullying.
For more information on anti-bullying strategies for NSW public schools refer to
~ Bullying of Students – Prevention and Response Policy.
For information on racial bullying and anti-racism education for NSW public schools refer to:
Responses to Bullying
Bullying is viewed as a breach of the students' behaviour code. Any reports of bullying will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken. The response to bullying will provide guidance and other support for the victim of bullying, as well as appropriate and consistent sanctions and support for the student who bullied.
The Responses to Behaviour Flow Chart will be utilised when addressing bullying behaviour.
