Please contact Senior Campus Reception on 5971 6100 or email office@woodleigh.vic.edu.au if you have any questions regarding the content available here.
Secure School Environment Policy
Staff and students have a basic right to work and study in a school free from any harassment or bullying. Woodleigh Campus is committed to providing such an environment.
What Is Harassment?
Harassment is the deliberate desire to hurt, intimidate or threaten another. It may take many forms.
- Physical – e.g. pushing, shoving, fighting, invasion of personal space.
- Verbal – e.g. name calling, offensive language, discrimination, “put downs” based on race, gender, physical appearance, sexual orientation or religious creed.
- Visual – e.g. offensive notes and gestures, graffiti.
- Victimisation – e.g. stand over tactics, exclusion.
- Sexual – e.g. any unwelcome sexual behaviour including offensive jokes, language or pictures.
- Electronic – e.g. offensive or intimidating emails, offensive photos published on the Web / social network sites, or via text messaging, filming.
How Can We Stop Harassment?
- We can conduct ourselves so that we do not provoke others to respond in an unacceptable manner.
- We can work to resolve disputes with others in a peaceful way.
- If we see harassment we can refuse to join in.
- We can support any students who are harassed. For example, we might intervene if it is safe, we might assist them if we are able to, and we can report it to staff.
- If we are harassed, we can tell the person that what they are doing is harassment. We can stand up for ourselves if anyone tries to harass us by:
- telling them to stop
- ignoring them (in the very short term)
- saying ‘no’
- asking a staff member for support
- drawing the attention of others (students and staff) to the harassing behaviour
Asking a Staff Member for support
For advice talk to one of the following:
- Your Tutor
- Your Teacher
- Your Homestead Coordinator
- Director of Wellbeing – Daniel Lukies
- The Head of Woodleigh Campus – Nat McLennan
- The Principal – David Baker
Our Response To Bullying and Harassment
If a matter is reported to Senior Staff it will then be discretely investigated and if necessary some of the following approaches used:
- self-help
- warning
- counseling
- therapeutic solutions
- restorative practice session attended by both parties
- apology
- parent contact
- referral to Support Group for ongoing case management
- withdrawal from Homestead or classes – ‘in school’ suspension
- suspension
- expulsion
Addressing Harassment
Most harassment that occurs is not complained about and therefore remains hidden. Those who are harassed often don’t complain because they fear it will make things worse or that no one will take them seriously, even if they do complain. We know, however, that harassment thrives in an atmosphere where it is hidden and not discussed. When we are willing to acknowledge the problem it can be dealt with. We take a ‘shared concern’, non-punitive approach where everyone involved has a responsibility to help solve the problem.
Want To Talk To Someone?
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
Free call 24 hours, 7 days a week. Confidential and professional counselling service.
Frankston Community Health Centre 9784 8100
Can arrange counselling, assist with issues relating to sexual health, sexuality, drug and alcohol and mental health etc.
Headspace 1800 650 890 – or Peninsula Headspace 9769 6419
Anonymous drug counselling, information and referral.
Lifeline 13 11 14
Grief Line 1300 845 745
Resource Links
Internet Contract
eSafety Resources
TRAG – Teenagers Road Accident Group
DARTA – Paul Dillon Resources
- DARTA Presentations
- DARTA Fact Sheets
- DARTA Useful Websites
- DARTA Student Activities
- Preventing Alcohol Fuelled Violence