We are a secondary school situated in a rural setting with approximately 838 students.

Where It Began... With students attending our school from quite diverse backgrounds, and an on-site facility for hearing-impaired students, we were concerned about the need to ensure respect and tolerance amongst students.

Getting Started... We wanted to ensure that students understood that bullying was not accepted at our school and that respect and tolerance were essential values.

How We Went About It... We made sure that the school charter highlights that wellbeing is a crucial priority for the school.

Our behaviour management approach starts with the basis of teachers' good positive relationships with students. Teachers make a deliberate effort to get to know students really well.

We have put signs in every room and in the students' diaries reminding them that the school's key value is 'respect'. A 'no put-down' rule is in place and girls have practice in intensive listening.

Tolerance for difference in any way is directly taught.

In Year 7, work is done in Pastoral Care sessions on bullying and getting along with others. The major focus is on developing positive relationships rather than on countering bullying. A great deal of work is also done on resilience. Year 10 also has two periods a week on workplace issues, such as bullying at work and sexual harassment.

We have an effective transition program where year 10 students help the newly arrived year 7 students.

We have a Student Representative Council, and members on this council have opportunities to look at statistics on bullying. They then feed statistics on the year levels in which bullying is taking place back to the girls at assemblies. Many of the members also see their role as 'companions' and keep a watch for lonely kids as well.

Self-selected year 11 students are trained in 'supportive friends' a peer support program to recognise loneliness and depression in their classmates.

What We Are Learning... Students accept the differences in their classmates and also support them.

Our schools strong focus on the value of respect is evident in student's positive and supportive relationships with each other.

Students have expressed that they feel that teachers don't talk down to them and are very approachable.

What's Next... We will be maintaining and improving our approach, informed by ongoing monitoring and feedback from all groups.