Indicators of safe schools

(from Janis Caroll-Lind (2010). Responsive Schools. Wellington: Office of the Children's Commissioner. pp 10-12)

As part of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s inquiry into school safety, a matrix of success criteria for safe schools was developed. This provides an evidence base for the development of policies and practices that support schools in providing a safe learning environment for their students. Key criteria (extrapolated from the research literature) are presented in Table 5 below.

Table 5: Success criteria and indicators of safe schools

• Acknowledgement that bullying happens.
• Recognition that bullying is unacceptable behaviour.
• Parental awareness and involvement.
• Bullying is viewed as a social practice rather than a behavioural practice.
• Strategies address the school and community culture.

• Whole school philosophy and ethos underpins the specific culture of the school.
• A clear vision of a safe and violence-free school community is strongly articulated and people know how to contribute to make this vision happen.
• Anti-violence/bullying policies have been developed that are commonly understood by staff, pupils, board of trustees, and the wider school community.
• A whole of school community approach was undertaken in the policy development.
• Commitment and input was gained from the whole school (i.e., students, teachers, parents, local community, and education authorities).
• Policies and procedures are applied consistently throughout the whole school.
• Teachers follow clear guidelines and procedures when reporting incidents.
• Educational programmes reinforce the whole school approach, thus providing “tools for the toolkit”.

• Students are encouraged to disclose abuse, violence, and bullying.
• A confidential reporting system facilitates disclosure.
• Two-way communication between home and school is encouraged (i.e., schools act on
  parents’ complaints about bullying and report incidents to parents of the children involved).
• Bystanders are empowered to intervene and report incidents witnessed by them.
• A climate has been created so that when victims or witnesses of violence or bullying do speak up, they know they will be listened to.
• Teachers take seriously all incidents reported to them and respond appropriately.
• Restorative conferences help victims to be heard and contribute to the healing of relationships.
• Incidents are further reported when appropriate (e.g., text- or cyber-bullying is reported to the network or mobile phone provider).
• Peer mediation programmes support the safe telling culture of the school.

• Incidents are reported to outside agencies (e.g., Police, Child, Youth and Family) when the need arises.

• Families and friends of bullies support them but refuse to condone their actions.
• Bullies are helped to interact positively with others.
• Victims of bullying are supported.
• Victims are helped to understand that bullying is not the victim’s fault.

• The school is a place conducive to learning.
• An orderly and safe climate encourages learning and teaching.
• A positive school environment keeps bullying and harassment from flourishing.
• Students enjoy warm, caring, positive relationships with their teachers.
• Teachers apply firm, clear, consistent limits to unacceptable behaviour with non-hostile, non-physical sanctions.
• Teachers provide active monitoring and supervision.
• Staff-to-student interactions do not insinuate messages about the acceptance or rejection of particular students.
• Students learn new skills in settings where it is safe to practise them.
• Students’ “connectedness” to school reflects their involvement in relationships, contexts, and activities they find worthwhile and important.
• The school provides emotional safety that comes from an environment that is structured, predictable, mutually respectful of all individuals, and free from any harmful activity or comment.
• Teachers model the attitudes and values they teach and practise respectful teaching
• There is school and community cooperation.
  
• Interaction and cooperation by students and school personnel is demonstrated.