Safe School Policy

Policy Statement

Balwyn High School is committed to providing a safe and caring environment that promotes learning, personal growth and positive self-esteem. The School aims to develop healthy and positive relationships where individual differences are respected. The School will not tolerate harassment in any form, including verbal, written, electronic or physical behaviour. Harassment can take many different forms - subtle, explicit or criminal and all are unacceptable and should be reported.

Harassment is unwelcome and offensive and hurts people whether or not the perpetrator intends or understands it to be hurtful. Harassment of any kind is an infringement of human rights and the School’s Welfare and Discipline Policy.

Harassment can be:

Subtle: The intention to hurt may or may not be obvious. The actions include leering and staring, comments about a person’s physical appearance or sexual preference, offensive comments or jokes about race, religion or ethnic origin, comments about people’s sexual activities, offensive name-calling, physical contact eg: bumping.

Criminal: Criminal harassment may include some of the above but also assault, indecent exposure, sexual assault, obscene letters and telephone calls and the use of electronic technologies for obscene purposes.

Severe: Severe harassment is often persistent, planned, blatant, and derogatory.

1. GUIDELINES
   1. 1.1 A school-wide approach will be adopted to redress harassment and will involve students, teachers, sub-school teams, Student Services team and parents/guardians. Strategies will be implemented to inform and educate the School community and to respond to incidents of harassment.
   2. 1.2 Issues regarding harassment will be addressed within sub-schools and across the curriculum.
   3. 1.3 A range of intervention strategies and procedures will be employed to respond to incidents of harassment.
   4. 1.4 All incidents and complaints of harassment will be treated seriously and where possible, confidentiality will be maintained.
   5. 1.5 The Assistant Principal-Student Services, Sub-School Teams and the Director of Student Services will act as a resource to the staff in their responses to harassment issues.
   6. 1.6 Disciplinary consequences for harassment will comply with the Welfare and Discipline Policy.
2. PROGRAM
   1. 2.1 The Anti-Harassment Policy of the School will be widely promoted to students, staff, parents/guardians, and the local community.
   2. 2.1.1 A summary of the policy will be included in the Student Enrolment Package.
   3. 2.2 The Welfare and Discipline Committee and the Director of Student Services will be responsible for implementing school-wide preventative programs from the commencement of each year. These will include the following strategies:
      • Students will be provided with clear definitions of harassment and complaint procedures in the Student Planner.
      • Students will be educated regularly about the policy and the need for appropriate social behaviours in sub-school and tutorial meetings.
      • All staff will be provided with a copy of the policy and details of procedures for dealing with harassment inside and outside the classroom.
      • Staff will receive regular in-service training on implementation of the policy.
   4. 2.2.1 Preventative Curriculum programs will include:
      • anti-harassment/bullying units in Health and Human Relations
      • the Peer Support Program, Peer Mediation and Cross-Age Tutoring, all of which connect senior and junior students
      • the Student Representative Council (SRC) which enables active participation of students in the decision-making of the School and models appropriate behaviours
      • the Community Leadership course offered at Year 10 which facilitates better transition from primary school to secondary school
      • display of anti-harassment material
      • other Key Learning Area (KLA)-generated curriculum activities
      • social skill units in tutorial programs including the Resilience program
   5. 2.3 Constructive strategies to deal with harassment will include education in coping strategies, assertiveness training, problem-solving and social skills, counselling and behaviour modification. These strategies will be employed in preference to punitive measures.
   6. 2.3.1 The School will conduct a range of intervention strategies to deal with harassment including:
      • the provision of clear complaint procedures for harassment
      • an annual School Safety Survey to ascertain the type and extent of harassment
      • the procedures to make anonymous complaints via bullying audits
      • the provision of counselling support through the Director of Student Services to develop and encourage pro-social behaviours
   7. 2.4 Year Level Coordinators will be provided with an implementation kit, with information on how to conduct interviews with bullies and victims and procedures for handling complaints of harassment.
   8. 2.4.1 The Assistant Principals, Heads of Sub-School and Year Level Coordinators will work together to ensure the safety of all school members in situations of harassment, by investigating complaints, notifying parents/guardians and planning interventions.
   9. 2.5 The Director of Student Services will provide specialist resources such as books, videos, kits and in-service activities to assist staff in responding appropriately to harassment issues. The Director of Student Services will also provide support and assistance for students, parents and guardians. This support may include advice in interviews and referrals to external agencies.
   10. 2.6 Assistant Principals, Year Level Coordinators and Heads of School will provide disciplinary consequences including suspension in accordance with Department of Education and Training (DE&T) Student Code of Conduct.

More Information

You will require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.