This report presents an aggregation of ERO’s reported findings about the strategies schools are using to prevent bullying and provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students. It is based on information gathered by ERO as part of regular education reviews.
This report highlights the features of different school cultures, as described by individual schools, and identifies the range of strategies schools are using to prevent bullying. Theeffectiveness and impact of various strategies in supporting a safe and positive learning environment are discussed.
ERO found that most schools:
- acknowledged that bullying behaviour was a risk to be managed;
- described the culture of their school as one that contributed to the provision of a safe physical and emotional learning environment for all students;
- had documented behaviour and/or anti-bullying policies, procedures and plans that clearly set out expectations, guidelines and processes for staff, students and parents; and
- offered programmes for students that focused on equipping students with strategies for dealing with bullying behaviour.
In some schools ERO found that:
- the views of students and parents were regularly sought as a way of checking whether bullying was an issue for students;
- professional development for staff and training for students was an important and useful way to build capability (knowledge, skills and attitudes) that supported student safety and well-being; and
- there was evidence of reduced incidents of bullying and decreasing numbers of detentions, stand-downs, suspensions and exclusions.
In a few schools ERO found that:
- students reported that bullying behaviour was still an issue; and
- steps needed to be taken to provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students.
Boards and staff in most schools reported that they believed the strategies and programmes being implemented to prevent bullying were having a positive impact on reducing or eliminating bullying behaviour. However, the evidence to support this belief was often anecdotal or not directly linked to the outcomes of specific programmes or strategies. ERO recommended that schools evaluate, through their self-review programmes, the effectiveness and impact of these programmes and strategies.
ERO recommendations also highlighted the need for schools to regularly and anonymously survey students and parents as part of their self-review programmes. Other recommendations for improved practice included that schools:
- monitor incidents of bullying;
- develop, update or review anti-bullying policies and procedures;
- include in existing policies ways to deal with text bullying;
- report self-review findings to the board of trustees and wider school community;
- provide professional development for teachers related to particular anti-bullying programmes or strategies;
- implement or extend anti-bullying programmes for students; and
- offer workshops and support for parents.
The findings of this report have implications for all schools. The strategies and programmes schools are using to prevent bullying require people, time and money. This report emphasises the need for all schools to implement ongoing self review that evaluates the impact of specific programmes and strategies. Such review would contribute to informed decision making about the allocation of resources and the targeting and selection of effective strategies and programmes.