At Swan View Primary School we aim to establish a community in which everyone feels valued and safe, and where individual differences are appreciated, understood and accepted. Everybody has a right to enjoy their time at school.

Our school community does not tolerate bullying or harassment.

Respect for others is expected.

WHAT IS BULLYING?

Bullying is when someone repeatedly and deliberately physically or emotionally hurts or upsets someone else.

For example when a person is:

• called hurtful or racist names.
• hit, punched or kicked.
• threatened.
• sent nasty notes.
• ignored or left out.
• teased in a nasty way.
• picked on.
• subjected to cyber bullying and rumours or 
• has their property been interfered with.

All students at Swan View Primary School should feel safe and valued and it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that this happens.

RIGHTS

• To feel safe.
• To learn and grow.
• To be respected.
• To be valued.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• To respect yourself.
• To respect others.
• To use common sense.
• To support others.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Students can:

• TELL the bully to stop and that their behaviour is upsetting
• FIND someone you think that can help. This can be a friend, a teacher or family member.

Telling someone is not dobbing, you are standing up for your rights.

Remember there is a solution to the problem that you are having.

A bystander is a person who sees the bullying and does nothing to stop it.

Bystanders can:

• Understand how the person being bullied feels.
• Tell the bully to stop.
• Move away from the area.
• Report the bullying to a teacher.

The School will / has:

• Implement the Friendly Schools Friendly Families program in order to empower students to reduce bullying.
• Be available to students. Listen and respond with empathy to reports of bullying.
• Be obviously present and actively move around the duty area and establish a positive rapport with all students.
• Ensure that there is follow up with students being bullied.
• Ensure that the bully is appropriately counselled regarding their behaviour using the shared concern strategy and that a suitable consequence is implemented to prevent a reoccurrence of the behaviour.

What can parents do?

• Be aware of the signs of distress and talk openly with your child.
• Encourage children to be assertive and to stand up for themselves without resorting to physical violence.
• Talk to your child’s classroom teacher who will be more than willing to listen to your concerns.
• Give assurances to your child that the situation can and will be effectively resolved.