"Bullying. No Way!" Framework

Abbotsford Primary School is committed to providing a safe and respectful learning environment where bullying will not be tolerated.

For the last several years we have been drawing upon the resources of the "Bullying. No Way!" Framework. Bullying. No Way! is the trusted government source of quality resources for creating safe and supportive learning environments.

This framework focuses on four key areas:

• Understanding Bullying
• Responding to Bullying
• Preventing Bullying
• Teaching about Bullying

The National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence is an opportunity for our school community to come together and take a stand against bullying.

Personal Safety Program
Personal Safety is the building up of children's resilience and confidence in order for them to problem solve and identify strategies to prevent them from harm and abuse. Personal Safety strategies teach children how to identify and avoid risky situations.

The program empowers and educates children to identify and speak up about situations such as abuse, grooming, bullying and risk-taking behaviours. We want children to be safe, able to identify what is right and wrong, and know what to do if they have concerns.

We want children to take notice of their feelings. This will enable them to respond safely to worrying feelings, people who make them feel uncomfortable, and wrong behaviour.

We want them to be strong and confident in the knowledge that they have the right to be safe at all times. We also want our students to have the resources and networks to call on if they have any concerns or are in any danger.

Cyber Safety - eSmart School

eSmart, an initiative of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, helps schools maintain a supportive and connected community to reduce online and offline bullying, and increase wellbeing.

It supports schools to review and improve operational systems, practices and knowledge-base across the whole school community.

By gaining certification as an eSmart school, Abbotsford Primary School can improve student wellbeing, encourage positive use of technology and decision-making, while reducing bullying, cyber bullying and anti-social behaviour.

Students will learn how to become safe and responsible digital citizens by only sharing personal information with people they trust and keeping their computers safe. They will also learn about the importance of seeking guidance from a trusted adult when they feel unsafe or uneasy online or if they experience cyberbullying.

Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships

The Royal Commission into Family Violence identified the critical role that schools and early childhood education have in creating a culture of respect to change the story of family violence for future generations.

In 2016, Respectful Relationships education became a core component of the Victorian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 12, and is being taught in all Government, Catholic and also many Independent Schools. Abbotsford Primary School joined the Respectful Relationships initiative in late 2019.

Respectful Relationships is about embedding a culture of respect and equality across our entire community, from our classrooms to staffrooms, sporting fields, fetes and social events. This approach leads to positive impacts on student’s academic outcomes, their mental health, classroom behaviour, and relationships between teachers and students.

Berry Street Education Model

The Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) provides strategies for teaching and learning that enables teachers to increase engagement of students with complex, unmet learning needs and to successfully improve all students’ self-regulation, relationships, wellbeing, growth and academic achievement. Our pedagogical strategies incorporate trauma-informed teaching, positive education, and wellbeing practices.

APS is a BSEM-school. All teachers incorporate the strategies in their classroom practice to ensure students are equipped with skills to manage their engagement with learning.