Preventative Ideas

School Culture and Environment

  • Create a positive school culture
  • Reduce opportunities students have to engage in bullying
  • Develop structured activities when there is no supervision
  • Stagger student breaks
  • Increase adult supervision in high-risk areas

While developing a school-wide policy and plan against bullying is important, the research also has some ideas on how to address particular issues within the school. Incorporating respect and clear academic and behavioural expectations into the school environment has been shown to help reduce bullying behaviour. These are some ideas, when used within a whole-school approach, that may help reduce bullying behaviours in your school. The needs assessment the school does will inform which ideas will work best in your school environment. All strategies should be tailored to the child, including their age and the type of behaviour they are demonstrating.

Source: “Bullying Prevention in Schools” (2004), National Crime Prevention Strategy.

Create a positive classroom

  • Student oriented teaching
  • Life-oriented subjects
  • Chances for achievement
  • Positive relationships
  • Social commitment
  • Classroom cohesion
  • Clear rules and restrictions on behaviour
  • Adults in school demonstrate culture of respect

Creating a culture of respect and positive school environment will assist in addressing bullying.

Source: D.J. Pepler & W. Craig, “Making a Difference in Bullying Report #60” Toronto, ON: LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution, York University; 2000 at 21-2.

Strategies in the playground

  • Conduct assessment to identify hot spots
  • Increase supervision
  • Create organized play and supervised play areas
  • Be aware of groups of children coming together
  • For structured play areas, develop a rotating schedule
  • Recess buddies
  • Clear rules and consequences
  • Conflict Mediation

Using these strategies in the playground can help with bullying hotspots. These tools can be used within a whole-school approach to address particular problems found in a school.

Source: D.J. Pepler & W. Craig, “Making a Difference in Bullying Report #60” Toronto, ON: LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution, York University; 2000 at 21-2.

Early Intervention

  • Early intervention most effective
  • Patterns of behaviour established by 8 years of age
  • Stop bullying behaviours quickly as they emerge

“Research indicates that early intervention is the most effective approach, as aggressive and passive patterns of behaviour can be well established by the age of eight.“”

Source: “Bullying Prevention in Schools” (2004), National Crime Prevention Strategy.