Imprint put on anti-bullying pledge
Wickham Primary School held a colourful day of activities to celebrate and mark Harmony Day and the National Day of Action Against Bullying on Friday, March 21.
Principal Katrina van Straalen said students had spent the past week creating anti-bullying posters and some students received an award on the day for their efforts.
Ms van Straalen said guest speakers also took part in the day, teaching students about what bullying was and helping them make a decision not to bully or allow bullying to occur.
"We invited Cassie Weir, the school nurse, to host activities with a focus on the different effects of bullying and Kendal Kenwick from Youth Services organised a pledge with the school to stop bullying, which involved the students putting their hand in paint and then leaving a handprint on the wall to remind us every day of the promise we made not to bully," she said.
Ms van Straalen said it was important to equip students with the necessary knowledge and tools to know how to report bullying and who to speak to, especially now bullying has become integrated with the digital age.
"We have been teaching them that bullying can happen anywhere. By going on Facebook, going on Twitter, they're (potentially) subjecting themselves to it.
"So it's about keeping them informed and educating them at different levels, with the big message that it's not OK. So often students don't want to report it for fear of retribution, but they have to and the children who tend to be bullies, there's usually an underlining issue there."
