School policies
School policies play a central role in shaping school culture and how schools prevent and respond to bullying behaviour. School policies take many different forms, from broader national frameworks that set clear goals for students, to individual school policies that specify how schools will respond to incidents of bullying.
The Australian Student Wellbeing Framework guides national policy on preventing and responding to bullying in schools. Education authorities in each state and territory also create their own policies. They offer advice and guidance to schools on how they can best develop and implement policies for preventing and responding to bullying.
The role of policy
Policy plays three key roles in guiding schools in relation to bullying behaviour:
- It puts into action the school’s legal responsibility to keep students safe.
- It defines what bullying behaviour is and how the school understands and addresses it.
- It sets out the approach to preventing and responding to bullying behaviour.1
1. A school’s policy puts into action the school’s legal responsibility to keep students safe
Government policies outline the legal requirements to protect student wellbeing, rights, mental health and freedom from discrimination.2 These legal requirements are set out in federal and state or territory legislative documents including education jurisdictions, education Acts and other Acts. Education departments also recommend best practices for schools to follow, and support schools to create their own policies by providing templates and guidance on how policies should be created and what must be included.
2. A school’s policy sets clear expectations
School policy sets clear expectations for acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, both within the school and the wider community.3 Policy helps create a shared language for the entire school community to understand and talk about bullying. This is especially important in a whole-school approach, where multiple strands of policies and practices work together to create a positive and protective school environment.
Effective policies:
- promote a positive school culture
- teach social and emotional skills
- involve parents or carers
- provide targeted support for students who need it most.4
For school policies to be most effective, they must clearly define all forms of bullying, including cyberbullying. They should also promote a positive school culture that communicates the value it places on kindness, respect, inclusion and a safe environment that supports students’ healthy development.5
School policies help build a safe environment.
3. A school’s policy sets out the approach to preventing and responding to bullying behaviour.
School policies should clearly outline the school’s values, perspective, prevention programs and steps for intervening and responding to bullying incidents. They should include a straightforward reporting process for staff, students, parents and carers, and clear guidelines on how staff should handle reported incidents.6 Policies drive practical actions in schools7 by promoting a proactive approach to reducing bullying and outlining the consequences for not following the policy.8 Clear and consistent policies that outline both preventative and responsive strategies help ensure consistency across the school, increase staff confidence and reduce the time spent managing bullying incidents.9
Behaviour policies
All Australian schools are subject to national and state legislation regarding student safety, wellbeing and behavioural expectations. Behaviour policies help ensure a safe and positive learning environment while protecting students from harm and abuse, as required by state and territory Acts and legislation. While the specific details of each states and territory legislation may differ, the overall principle is consistent across the country.
Behaviour policies outline expected behaviours and disciplinary consequences if these expectations are not met. Schools are encouraged to develop their own expectations of behaviour with the school community, tailored to their specific needs, using the policies and guidelines set by their relevant education authority.
Generally, a behaviour policy should:
- clearly communicate expectations of behaviour (including for bystanders)
- be tailored to the individual needs of each school
- include attendance, technology use and anti-bullying policies
- outline consequences for not adhering to behavioural expectations.
Behaviour policies help schools to clearly define acceptable behaviour and foster a sense of responsibility and respect across the school community.
- Baay, A. (2015) A review of literature (2010-2014) on student bullying by Australia's Safe and Supportive School Communities Working Group. https://www.academia.edu/34524645/A_review_of_literature_2010_2014_on_student_bullying_by_Australias_Safe_and_Supportive_School_Communities_Working_Group.
- Butler, D.A., Kift, S.M., Campbell, A., Slee, P., & Spears, B. (2011). School policy responses to cyberbullying: An Australian legal perspective. International Journal of Law and Education. 16(2), 7–28.
- Butler, D.A., Kift, S.M., Campbell, A., Slee, P., & Spears, B. (2011). School policy responses to cyberbullying: An Australian legal perspective. International Journal of Law and Education. 16(2), 7–28; Cross, D., Monks, H., Hall, M., Shaw, T., Pintabona, Y., Erceg, E., Hamilton, G., Roberts, C., Waters, S., & Lester, L. (2011). Three-year results of the Friendly Schools whole-of-school intervention on children’s bullying behaviour. British Educational Research Journal, 37(1), 105–129.; Smith, P.K., Kupferberg, A., Mora-Merchan, J.A., Samara, M., Bosley, A., & Osborn, R. (2012). A content analysis of school anti-bullying policies: A follow-up after six years. Educational Psychology in Practice, 28(1), 47–70. doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2011.639344
- Pearce, N., Monks, H., Alderman, N., Hearn, L., Burns, S., Runions, K., Francis, J., & Cross, D. (2022). ‘It’s all about context’: Building school capacity to implement a whole-school approach to bullying. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, 6, 1–16. doi.org/10.1007/s42380-022-00138-6
- Chalmers, C., Campbell, M.A., Spears, B.A., Butler, D., Cross, D., Slee, P., & Kift, S. (2016). School policies on bullying and cyberbullying: Perspectives across three Australian states. Educational Research, 58(1), 91–109. doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2015.1129114
- Chalmers, C., Campbell, M.A., Spears, B.A., Butler, D., Cross, D., Slee, P., & Kift, S. (2016). School policies on bullying and cyberbullying: Perspectives across three Australian states. Educational Research, 58(1), 91–109.; Gizzarelli, E., Burns, S., & Francis, J. (2023). Exploring primary school staff responses to student reports of bullying in Australia: A qualitative study. International Journal of Bullying Prevention. doi.org/10.1007/s42380-023-00190-w
- Pennell, D., Campbell, M., & Tangen, D. (2020). What influences Australian secondary schools in their efforts to prevent and intervene in cyberbullying? Educational Research, 62(3), 284–303. doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2020.1795701
- Chalmers, C., Campbell, M.A., Spears, B.A., Butler, D., Cross, D., Slee, P., & Kift, S. (2016). School policies on bullying and cyberbullying: Perspectives across three Australian states. Educational Research, 58(1), 91–109.
- Gizzarelli, E., Burns, S., & Francis, J. (2023). Exploring primary school staff responses to student reports of bullying in Australia: A qualitative study. International Journal of Bullying Prevention.