Appendix A: Summary of School Data According to the Research Questions for This Project

Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school

Summary of a report for the Ministry of Social Development by Michael Gaffney, Nancy Higgins, Jaleh McCormack, and Nicola Taylor of the Children’s Issues Centre Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school

This study helps implement Action Area 4 of New Zealand’s Agenda for Children, which aims to address violence in children’s lives with a particular focus on bullying. The aim was to collect information about how three schools have developed a more positive school culture and reduced bullying in their schools. The principles of change and the approaches to promoting positive relationships found in these three case study schools offer other New Zealand schools a starting point for reflection on how they might improve their own school culture and reduce violence and bullying. Three schools were identified and invited to be part of the research:  Papatoetoe Intermediate School is in Manukau City  Wilford Primary School is a full primary in Hutt City  Caversham Primary School is a contributing primary in Dunedin City.

The following principles were identified in the three schools for improving school culture and reducing bullying:  leadership is critical to initiating the process but staff support, followed by student support, is needed to achieve school-wide development  the development of a more positive school culture requires people to look at the relationships that make up the school  the programmes implemented, and it is unlikely to be just one, need to focus on supporting the wellbeing of students and their families and whanau  the change process requires lots of time and energy and is not self sustaining. The three schools undertook, using the principles listed above, a single school-wide approach to managing student behaviour and the promotion of positive relationships. Such an approach included:  creating clear expectations through discussion of desirable school relationships and appropriate behaviour  setting in place consistent, immediate and fair consequences for both appropriate and inappropriate behaviour  providing support for students so they could develop positive relationships and learn to behave appropriately.

The research questions focused on what the schools were like previously, how change was initiated, what programmes and community support were used, what the outcomes have been for schools and students, and what are the current challenges and goals that each school faces. Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school

A researcher undertook interviews with the principal, teachers, school support staff, external professionals associated with the school, and a parent representative on the Board of Trustees and facilitated focus groups with students. Each researcher then developed a profile for their school. These profiles contained:  a description of the school  a description of the school culture  the process of changing the school culture  a description of the various programmes that the school used to bring about change  the role of different people in supporting the change in school culture  outcomes and new challenges. These profiles can be found at www.msd.govt.nz/work-areas/children-and-young-people/agenda-for-children The results of the comparative analysis show that there are identifiable themes common to all three schools. These themes were the importance of leadership in bringing about change, the centrality of relationships to school culture, the nature of the programmes that were used to bring about change, and finally, the nature of the change process itself. Each of the principals involved identified something different about their school that they wished to change but all three required a change in relationships within the school. All three schools had participated in the Specialist Education Services1 Eliminating Violence – Managing Anger programme, but they also participated in many other external programmes or developed their own. All three schools had similar local factors that were influencing their development: they were all lower decile schools, they had high numbers of transient families, and families with diverse cultural backgrounds. It was the view of all research participants that violence and bullying had reduced. Students within the focus groups reported they liked their school and felt safe there. They also knew what the expectations were in relation to appropriate behaviour at their school and could clearly describe what would happen if they or someone else were bullied.

1 Specialist Education Services is now part of the Ministry of Education and referred to as Group Special Education. Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school

Summary of school data according to the research questions

Questions Papatoetoe Intermediate School Caversham Primary School Wilford Primary School There was an approach of supporting The school was unsafe for students and There was limited interaction between What was the previous teachers by finding ways to remove staff. There was a high turnover in the students and staff across the junior, school culture like – what ‘difficult’ students who did not fit into the principal’s position and a number of middle and senior schools. The staff were values and beliefs school’s ways of doing things. This made children with behavioural issues joined the operating as individuals rather than as a underpinned it? the school management of student school. There was no respect shown team. behaviour teacher centred rather than between students and verbal and physical student centred. abuse occurred. There was a lot more student fighting During the changes in leadership over a A certain amount of physical and verbal To what extent was the back then and the level of student short period of time, the school culture abuse by some students was due to the previous school culture engagement with the curriculum was had lost its focus on supporting positive absence of a consistent school-wide directly or indirectly unsatisfactory. It was not clear to what relationships. The staff were in ‘survival approach to managing student behaviour. supporting bullying in the extent bullying was an implicit part of the mode’. Positive school culture was not a The school was seen by some as rough school? school culture. priority. due to the perceived level of violence.

From 1993, a range of pastoral care The principal was alarmed by the culture The principal made improving How were changes systems within the school were of the school and sought support to start relationships within the school a focus. initiated and where did introduced. The pastoral care committee improving the relationships within the Reflection and review were used to the drive to change come he established developed a system for school. The school had received a evaluate progress. The principal from? monitoring student progress and offering number of critical ERO reports that had encouraged the staff to focus on school- support where a need was identified. suggested changes would need to be wide programmes and on a positive made. school culture. What was the role of Teachers need to be consistent in their The role of staff was to model appropriate Relationships between staff had to be teachers in supporting response to the management of student behaviour; to be consistent and fair; to based on support rather than on change? What issues had behaviour. School management support teach the curriculum and appropriate competition. Staff were given the to be resolved for this by providing ongoing support and social behaviours; and to improve the self opportunity to develop their teaching goals teachers before success? access to advice for teachers. Written esteem and self worth of the children at and then they saw how other staff taught. information about school philosophies, the school. The teachers were always This helped them learn from each other. policies and practices is made available to committed to the students but to Many of the staff were not used to teachers and they are provided with contribute to a positive school culture this articulating their practice and training to adopt these. commitment had to be reflected in a incorporating self reflection. school-wide vision for the students. Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school

What aspects of the Most of the programmes to support The staff worked on their curriculum Most recently the school has joined the curriculum were used to change are individually focused rather planning and engaged in a lot more Mentally Healthy Schools programme support change? than classroom based although all are professional development to support their which works within the Health and strongly supported by teachers within their planning in literacy and numeracy. The Physical Education Curriculum to improve classrooms. There is a virtues programme education outside the classroom student mental health. Teachers actively where a team decides which virtues will programme is used to provide students incorporate the teaching of social skills, be promoted during different parts of the with opportunities for social development mediation and conflict resolution in their year. They also provide classroom units of and provide experiences they might not classrooms. work to promote the programme which otherwise get. ensures better consistency across classrooms.

The virtues programme is promoted by The Eliminating Violence programme The school used the Eliminating Violence Was a specific anti- the Working in Social Harmony (WISH) brought about the initial changes. The key programme. This programme is an bullying programme or team, which developed out of the components of the programme were umbrella programme within which many other values-based Eliminating Violence programme. The celebrating good behaviour, developing other programmes are incorporated. The programme used to school has used the D.A.R.E. (Drug rules and consequences, having students school has participated in many support change? Abuse Resistance Education) programme take responsibility for their actions and programmes including cool schools, skills in the past, but now prefers to run their supporting children to find solutions to for growing and Kia Kaha. own programme. The school is adept at problem situations. taking successful components of various programmes and developing their own unique response tailored to their school. Was there community The community supports the approach The community was asked to provide A counsellor from a local church provides support for change? How taken by the school and the values being support through a range of initiatives. a group programme for students suffering were community promoted. The financial support available Local businesses provided food for from grief or loss. The school actively resources or school- from the parent community is low. This students. Parents are offered promotes programmes to support the developed programmes does not stop parents from taking an opportunities to join school outings, which parent community. These have included used? interest in their children’s education. have a strong social skill focus for literacy evening classes, parenting skills students. Families contribute to school classes and parent evenings to introduce A voluntary agency provides a life skills activities that celebrate the diverse ethnic new programmes. The Board of Trustees programme for small groups of students. make up of the school. The school has is kept aware of programme The school works with schools in the access to the social worker in schools developments and they have given their area, both primary schools and some of programme that provides support to support to the shared vision that has the high schools the students go onto. families within the school. developed. Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school

How were other external The school draws on external The facilitators with the Eliminating The Mentally Healthy Schools programme professionals important to professionals, has access to an RTLB on Violence programme were important in was used to document the programmes supporting or initiating site and has a counsellor on staff. The providing an outsider’s view on the the school had put in place over the last change? school funds the counsellor’s position school. They collected data about the few years. The access to this programme from its own funds. The Public Health school and then shared that information allowed a staff member to develop a Nurse is on the pastoral care committee with the school to encourage people to social skills resource for the school. The and the school has used external think about what types of change to make RTLBs are used when children show programmes such as Eliminating Violence first. The principal has relationships with a particularly challenging behaviours. and Health Promoting Schools. The number of social agencies who she calls principal and other staff have excellent in when particular types of support are relationships with local agencies and draw required. on these as necessary.

How has children’s The student safety audits and other The most recent ERO report noted the Children feel students and adults care for behaviour changed over regular monitoring suggest that the school very different behaviour of children and one another. School-wide rules were time as a result of school is a safer place for students. There are how the students reported feeling much developed and children know them. initiatives? Do they report fewer incidents of violence reported, fewer safer in the school. Some of the students, Students promote the expectations for noticing a difference? detentions being given and fewer students as part of the focus groups in this study, appropriate behaviour. Staff are confident being stood down or suspended. The talked about the bullying that was present that students will behave appropriately at students themselves report they like the when they were younger and how this has all times, including on school trips. school and feel it is a good place to be. disappeared. They now feel much safer in Students feel safer in school, increased the playground. student attendance, and better academic achievement. Students felt the level of violence decreased because the teachers responded to incidents; the consequences for inappropriate behaviour were clear; and some children were no longer at the school. Students took certain actions if they saw violent incidents developing.

What features of the The school is a place at which students The school is a safe and caring school. Emphasis on respectful relationships Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school

current school do people enjoy spending time. It does not mean Improved student achievement, a across the school. Acceptance and comment on as there are not problems but people know welcoming family environment and less celebration of diversity. Students take improvements? how to respond when they do arise and bullying or violence at the school. Staff ownership and responsibility for the response is immediate and consistent. went on school outings without fear of bad maintaining the school culture, which is The level of reported bullying has dropped behaviour and parents were now sending achieved by giving students an markedly over the last few years. The use their children to Caversham as a opportunity to have a say in what is of student behaviour conferences and a deliberate choice. Only one of the 13 happening at the school. Student safety is restorative justice programme are children who were interviewed for this paramount. relatively new initiatives which have been study said they were bullied at school by The school has become more collegial successfully integrated within the school’s name-calling. All of the adult participants over time. People are working together as pastoral care systems. noted that bullying and violence did still part of a team. The divisions between the occur at the school but the amount and junior, middle and senior schools have level had greatly reduced. In addition, disappeared. Staff are given support to there were consistent procedures to follow deal with difficult circumstances. and consistent consequences for bully Classroom and playground management behaviour. is easier.

What are the current and The school is working on a foundation The school has been successful in Challenges: maintenance of the future initiatives, goals document. It will promote the pastoral developing an accepting and caring programme takes a lot of energy and time; and challenges for the care system and a consensus approach school culture. The principal continues to continual turnover in student population school? to student behaviour management. survey students, parents and staff to due to a high transient community; staff check whether the school culture is are still learning not to take violent The school is implementing a school maintaining itself. Programmes are incidents personally; new enrolments in honours system to recognise students altered or adapted on the basis of the the senior school; engaging with parents who show excellent behaviour and information received. The challenges for who do not often visit school. attitudes. the school are operating with a falling roll Current goals include working with small Challenges are presented by having to and a transient family population, with groups of children who still have anger bring new staff on board and new cohorts fewer economic resources to draw on. management problems. New initiatives of students arriving each year against a include looking at resiliency training and picture of losing senior students after two the use of co-operative learning in the years at the school. context of learning styles. The school is holding a celebration expo for the community to share its programme and celebrate its successes. Developing a more positive school culture to address bullying and improve school relationships: case studies from two primary schools and one intermediate school