The state government has released a new action plan in the hope of combating violence in public schools across Western Australia.
Schools will be empowered to take a stand against violence with the tough new measures to address unacceptable behaviour against students and staff.
The WA first ‘Let’s take a stand together’ action plan provides principals and teachers with new tactics to manage incidents and problem behaviour.
In total, the plan provides 10 broad actions to help guide schools, families and communities to work together to address the complex societal issue of violence.
The action plan is specifically intended for those students who intentionally instigate violence and policy changes will not apply to students with disability who either cannot manage their behaviour or do not intend to harm others.
The ten steps of action
From next year, new rules will see any student who intentionally instigates violence, or films a fight instead of seeking help, suspended automatically.
Additionally, all principals will automatically move to exclude any student who physically attacks school staff. ‘Exclusion’ means the student is removed from the school either permanently or for a period of time, with every exclusion order to be approved by the director general of the Department of Education.
New alternative learning settings will be trialled in 2019 to help students manage their behaviour, including support programs to help change behaviour, where students can continue their learning until they are ready to return to mainstream schooling.
Also beginning next year for the first time, every graduate teacher employed in a public school will be trained on how to de-escalate and manage aggressive behaviour as part of their induction program. The training will also include how to build positive behaviour and how to appropriately restrain in emergency situations, with follow up support to be provided for school staff affected by incidents.
Clear advice for principals, teachers and education assistants on preventing, managing and responding to aggression and violence, including guidance on when physical contact is reasonable, will also be provided to help schools.
Unfortunately, it is the sad reality that some students come to school and intentionally hurt or attack other students or school staff.
- Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery
Every public school will add ‘good standing’ requirements to its behaviour policy with students who do the wrong thing void of privileges such as school social activities. Students can earn back ‘good standing’ by making amends and behaving well.
The internationally-recognised Positive Parenting Program will be offered to all parents of kindergarten students for free to better equip parents with the skills to manage family issues, develop positive relationships and improve child behaviour.
Reviews will be conducted to clearly define what a school ‘critical incident’ is and principals’ reporting responsibilities will be clarified.
New resources will also be available to spark a community conversation about violence in schools and help people across the community foster a new attitude to violence, with particular concentration on making violence socially unacceptable to young people.
Lastly on the action plan, the Premier’s Youth Forum will give young people a voice to share their views on violence and let them identify actions and solutions they believe could address violence in the community.
Read more:
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- Academic calling for change in handling of school bullies
- ‘Fights are normal’: Teen speaks out on bullying and violence at school
- Suspensions soar in Peel region schools
The action plan will be a welcome initiative in Mandurah, with recent statistics showing alarming numbers of suspensions across the region and a spate of recent examples of violent bullying in schools.
Earlier this year, the Mandurah Mail reported there were 763 suspensions at three Mandurah high schools in 2017, with one school having 10 per cent of students suspended in term two.
Last year, at John Tonkin College there were 435 individual suspensions, with 215 students out of about 1090 suspended.
There were 233 suspensions from Halls Head College, with 154 individual students suspended, from about 1400 enrollments.
Coodanup College handed out 95 suspensions, with 73 individual students suspended from about 680 enrollments in 2017.
An Education Department spokeswoman said not all of the suspensions were related to “threatening behaviour”.
The ‘Let’s take a stand together’ action plan and ten accompanying measures will be rolled out across the state over the next three years.
While every student has the right to an education, they do not have the right to attack other people.
- Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery
Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery said it was a crucial initiative but violence did not end with the school bell.
“As a community, we all need to take a stand to stop violence,” she said.
“Every parent rightly expects that when their child is at school they will be safe and supported to learn,” she said.
“The vast majority of students are respectful and act safely.
“Unfortunately, it is the sad reality that some students come to school and intentionally hurt or attack other students or school staff.
“While every student has the right to an education, they do not have the right to attack other people.
“Violence is a complex societal issue but this plan sets out 10 clear ways to provide a strong foundation for addressing violence in our schools.”
The full action plan is available from the Department of Education’s website at www.education.wa.edu.au.
