This resource supports teachers and school because:

• bullying prevention is an important means of developing a positive school climate
• research indicates that preventative strategies are effective in reducing bullying behaviours.

This resource addresses a need in the three key areas of practice, support and ongoing improvement. This provides schools and teachers with supports and resources to:

• implement teaching and behaviour management approaches and practices aimed at building positive behaviours and learning environments
• reduce the occurrence of challenging and unsafe behaviours through proactive and preventive approaces
• provide better options for managing challenging behaviours when they do occur. 

Professional audience

School leaders and teachers across all school settings.

This resource can be used without assistance, as a stand-alone resource and/or linked to professional learning. Optional support is available through the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation literature review on effective anti-bullying interventions in schools.

Student audience

All students P-12.

When to use

When schools are seeking to establish preventative strategies to bullying, to support development of a positive school climate. 

Timeframes

Can be used at any time in the school year.

System priorities and/or needs

This resource aligns with:

• the Premier’s Priorities to improve outcomes in literacy and numeracy and HSC attainment
• Our Plan for NSW Public Education’s direction and priorities of strengthening student wellbeing and development and advancing equitable outcomes, opportunities and experiences
• need identified by Delivery Support, particularly Behaviour Specialists, to build teacher capacity in bullying prevention.

School Excellence Framework

• Learning domain – Wellbeing (Caring for students, A planned approach to wellbeing, Individual learning needs, Behaviour)
• Leading domain: Educational leadership (Instructional leadership, High expectations culture, Community engagement) and School planning, implementation and reporting (Continuous improvement, School plan, Annual report)
• Teaching domain: Effective classroom practice (Classroom management).  

Relevant frameworks

• The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration 2019 
• Disability Standards for Education 2005
• NESA syllabus documents – general capabilities: Personal and social capabilities
• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
  • Standard 4, particularly 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5
• Australian Student Wellbeing Framework
• Wellbeing Framework for schools - behaviour, discipline and character education, effective Leadership, school planning
• Achieving School Excellence in Wellbeing and Inclusion

Existing resources 

• Student Behaviour Policy
• Anti-bullying interventions in schools-what works?
• Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing Directorate risk management - student behaviour resources (internal only)
• Supported online learning courses: Personalised learning, Understanding and supporting behaviour and Supporting student wellbeing and mental health
• The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA) resources
• Bullying No Way's steps to preventing bullying
• The eSafety Commissioner website
• Information for Teachers about Racist Bullying
• Inclusive Practice hub, particularly, when you are being bullied script - primary, when someone is being bullied script- primary, what is bullying story - secondary, when you are being bullied - how to ask for help scripts - secondary, what is cyberbullying story - secondary.

Consulted with: The information in this resource was developed as part of the NSW Government’s Anti-Bullying Strategy (2017-2020) in consultation with world-leading academic expert advisors Professor Donna Cross, Professor Rosemary Johnston, and Professor Ian Hickie. The Advocate for Children and Young People assisted with consultation with students.

The Department partnered with the NSW Association of Independent Schools, Catholic Schools NSW, eSafety Commissioner, Bullying No Way!, and the Kids Helpline in consultation with principal and parent groups to create an evidence-based resource package for students, teachers, parents and carers to identify, prevent and respond effectively to student bullying behaviours.

Professor Donna Cross, Professor Rosemary Johnston, and Professor Ian Hickie reviewed and endorsed all the materials for the website.

Reviewed by: Behaviour Services

Last updated: January 2024 

Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation. (2017). Anti-bullying interventions in schools - what works? Literature review. Department of Education. https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/educational-data/cese/publications/literature-reviews/anti-bullying-interventions-in-schools

Cross, D, Shaw, T, Hearn, L, Epstein, M, Monks, H, Lester, L & Thomas, L. (2009). Australian covert bullying prevalence study (ACBPS), Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Perth.

Saarento, S, Karna, A, Hodges, E & Salmivalli, C. (2013). ‘Student-, classroom-, and school-level risk factors for victimisation’, Journal of School Psychology, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 421-434.

Salmivalli, C. (2014). ‘Participant roles in bullying: How can peer bystanders be utilized in interventions?’, Theory into Practice, vol. 53, no. 4, pp. 286-292.

Ttofi, M & Farrington, D. (2011). ‘Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying: A systematic and meta-analytic review’, Journal of Experimental Criminology, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 27-56.