Students give Victorian schools an average 50.8 out of 100 for bullying management

While a majority of students reported not directly experiencing bullying, their confidence in schools' handling of it was low. The analysis shows that scores for bullying management and student connection almost always rise or fall together, revealing the damaging effect mismanagement has on school culture.

Esther Abram, who was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer in year 9, said she experienced bullying at her outer-suburban private school, where teachers were not always supportive of the special consideration she needed. She recalled feeling isolated and refused to attend class before transferring to her local public school in the north-eastern suburbs. 'The teachers helped me through everything,' she said.

David Loader said bullying was deep-seated and hard to address, but an engaging culture could make it unacceptable. Masa Popovac, senior lead for digital safety and wellbeing at the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, said addressing 'gateway behaviours' such as eye rolls or exclusion could prevent escalation. Ian Findley, a former school chaplain, said he used a restorative justice approach, asking bullies to help resolve the situation while directing them, and saying they would refer them to mental health services if it continued.

Cranbourne West Secondary School scored highest of all schools surveyed, with 94.4 for managing bullying and 99.2 for connection. Its principal, Rob Duncan, said the school used preventative measures such as having staff clean toilets to ensure safety, and introduced AFLW and cheerleading programs to boost connection among girls. Other high-scoring schools include Yuille Park Community College, Alamanda K-9 College, Nossal High School and the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School.

An Education Department spokesperson said the Attitudes to School Survey helped schools understand students' experiences and identify areas for improvement.