NAG 5: HEALTH AND SAFETY

TRENTHAM SCHOOL STATEMENT OF INTENT

BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT & BULLYING PREVENTION

Reviewed by Staff – May 2020

Reviewed by BOT – May 2020

Ratified by BOT – May 2020

Next review date – May 2023

RATIONALE

The Trentham Board of Trustees, seeks to take all reasonable steps to develop high standards of behaviour. All members of our school community - Board of Trustees, school leaders, teachers, staff, students, parents and whānau share the responsibility for making Trentham School a respectful and inclusive environment. We seek to foster and develop a safe, positive physical and emotional environment, and are committed to eliminating bullying in any form.

PURPOSES

1. To modify behaviour that affects the learning, teaching and safety of all people in the school.

2. To provide clear standards and guidelines for students and staff aimed at encouraging acceptable behaviour, modifying unacceptable behaviour and eliminating bullying.

3. To ensure students, staff and parents know the expected standards of behaviour and how to deal with unacceptable behaviour or bullying should it occur.

4. To encourage a positive, problem-solving approach to unacceptable behaviour.

5. To encourage students to accept responsibility for their own behaviour (and learn that there are consequences for their behaviour).

DEFINITION OF BULLYING

At Trentham School bullying is defined as deliberate acts of intimidating behaviour. It is often persistent, repeated and involves someone getting hurt. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim.

Bullying behaviours can be:

• emotional - being unfriendly, excluding someone, tormenting

• physical - pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence

• racist - racial taunts, graffiti, gestures

• sexual - unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments

• verbal - name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing

• cyber/digital - using media to cause distress

GUIDELINES

1. There will be clear expectations of behaviour during the school day, both inside and outside the classroom and in the playground.

2. The use of positive reinforcement to promote on-task behaviour will be actively encouraged.

3. The Trentham School Behaviour Plan (TSB Plan) will have a clear set of steps to deal with unacceptable or bullying behaviour in the playground. The TSB Plan will be included in the enrolment pack, school shared drive, displayed in classrooms and on the school website.

4. The Syndicate Behaviour Plan will have a clear set of steps to deal with unacceptable or bullying behaviour in the classrooms. It will be distributed to parents at the beginning of every year, and to new students as they arrive. A copy will also be included in the school shared drive and displayed in classrooms.

5. The School and Syndicate Behaviour Plans will be discussed, reviewed and clarified with staff at the beginning of each year to ensure consistency school wide.

6. Individuals’ data from the Behaviour Plans will be entered regularly into eTap and analysed for trends and patterns.

7. Trained Peer Mediators are available in the first instance, to assist children to satisfactorily solve minor playground conflict.

8. All Staff will treat reports of bullying seriously. A child may indicate by signs or behaviours that he or she is being bullied. Parents or caregivers should be aware of these possible signs and inform a staff member if a child is:
   

• frightened of walking to or from school alone

• begs to be driven to school

• changes their usual routine

• is unwilling to go to school

• becomes withdrawn, anxious or lacking in confidence

• starts stammering

• cries themselves to sleep at night or has nightmares

• often feels ill in the morning

• begins to do poorly in school work

• comes home with clothes torn or property damaged

• asks for money or starts to steal money

• has unexplained cuts or bruises

• becomes aggressive, disruptive or unreasonable

• is bullying other children or siblings

• stops eating

• is frightened to say what is wrong

• gives improbable excuses for any of the above.

BULLYING PREVENTION

We recognise that real change happens when all members of the school community share responsibility for making our school a respectful and inclusive environment. We will:

• regularly survey our school community

• identify areas for improvement through the survey findings

• regularly promote our expectations and successes in preventing bullying e.g. in assemblies and newsletters

• use a range of activities through curriculum based programmes e.g. value of the term, peer mediation, role plays, restorative justice, buddy bus

• promote digital citizenship and safe use of technology through our ICT User Agreements.

BULLYING RESPONSE (for when bullying occurs)

We recognise the importance of consistently responding to all incidents of bullying. Planned interventions will be used to respond to these incidents and support all involved.

• all reported incidents of bullying will be taken seriously and followed up as appropriate

• an appropriate adult will support the affected students by reassuring them they have done the right thing in reporting the incident

• the steps and guidelines in the behaviour management plans will be followed and all incidents will be recorded

• we will involve parents and whānau as early as possible and as appropriate

• when necessary we will seek advice and involvement from outside agencies

• we will provide appropriate support for targets, bystanders and initiators of bullying behaviour

• we will regularly monitor all incidents of bullying and identify patterns of behaviour.

RAISING AWARENESS

• our policy will be widely known and readily accessible to students, staff, parents, family and whānau

• we will regularly report to the Board of Trustees and inform parents of the policy through newsletters and the school website.

PHYSICAL RESTRAINT

• Trentham School staff are fully aware of the Education (Physical Restraint) Rules 2017. Staff will only use physical restraint when the safety of the student or of any other person is at serious and imminent risk and the restraint used is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances.

• The Guidelines for Registered Schools in New Zealand on the Use of Physical Restraint provide staff with generic techniques for preventing and de-escalating potentially dangerous situations.

• Staff will complete an incident report following any use of physical restraint. All incidents of physical restraint will be reported to the Ministry of Education.

TIME-OUT AND SECLUSION

• Seclusion is not used at Trentham School. Seclusion is defined as placing a student, involuntarily, into a room by themselves for any amount of time, where they cannot leave of their own will.

• Time-out is different from seclusion and can be used at school. In time-out a student may be asked to go to a specified area, either within the classroom or in another part of the school, in order to calm down. In these situations, the student may be separated from others, but is not secluded. Any student in time-out is checked regularly by staff.

REFERENCES:

Trentham School Behaviour Management Plan

Bullying Prevention and Response: A guide for schools (2015)

Guidelines for Registered Schools in New Zealand on the Use of Physical Restraint (August 2017)