Bullying in New Zealand Schools

Is bullying an issue in NZ Schools?

Bullying happens at every school.  It takes many forms - physical, verbal and social - and it can happen in person, online and even via text message.

Studies show children and young people who are bullied are more likely to be depressed, lonely or anxious; to have low self-esteem and to struggle academically; dislike school and miss classes; distrust peers and have problems making friends; and experience declined mental and emotional health.

Several studies have looked at bullying in New Zealand schools using a range of definitions and approaches.

Both the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2018/19 and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 Wellbeing reports(external link) show rates of bullying in New Zealand schools are high compared with many other countries. For a summary of data on bullying in New Zealand, from international studies, see He Whakaaro: What do we know about bullying behaviours in New Zealand?(external link).

The Youth 2000 surveys(external link), carried out in 2001, 2007, 2012 and 2019 by the Adolescent Health Research Group at Auckland University, have found little change in rates of bullying in New Zealand schools over the past decade, with the exception of cyberbullying which is on the rise.

There is no doubt that bullying is a serious issue that all schools face. However, every school has its own processes for reporting, recording and responding to bullying. This makes it difficult to get a clear picture of how big the problem is, compared to other countries. More rigorous and systematic data collection would be required to know how often bullying really happens in New Zealand schools.

Schools' responsibilities: Legislation and guidelines

Under the Education and Training Act 2020 

Boards of Trustees are required to ensure that the school: 

(i) is a physically and emotionally safe place for all students and staff; and 

(ii) gives effect to relevant student rights set out in this Act, the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990(external link), and the Human Rights Act 1993(external link); and 

(iii) takes all reasonable steps to eliminate racism, stigma, bullying, and any other forms of discrimination within the school; and 

This includes cyberbullying and online harrassment. Developing and implementing robust bullying prevention and response policies will help schools to make sure they meet these obligations.  

What happens when bullying occurs outside of school premises?

Bullying often happens out of school grounds, after school hours or online.  Bullying ‘outside school’ can often continue inside school and vice-versa. Young people's relationships are not so neatly defined, and the concept of ‘outside school’ starts to become irrelevant when young people’s interactions are more and more a blend of in school, in their communities, offline and online.

Schools are increasingly involved in incidents where the activities of students at home or in their own time have an impact on the life of the school; for example creating and posting harmful content on social media, using their own smartphone or computer, whether at school or not. It can affect a student’s wellbeing no matter where it happens. 

Schools have the responsibility and power to act when it is reasonable to expect that what's occurred could have a negative impact on the school's learning environment. Trying to pinpoint where and when the bullying took place may be less helpful than asking ‘what effect is this having on the student/s involved and how will we respond?’

If signs of bullying such as absenteeism or other worrying behaviour are noticed by school staff, or if anyone reports bullying to school staff, it’s important to investigate and take action, regardless of where and when it happened.

Why does bullying occur and what are the implications for schools responding effectively to bullying?

Understanding why students engage in bullying is important, as it helps schools implement effective ways to build a safer and more caring school climate.

Previously, bullying has been mostly viewed as an interpersonal interaction between an initiator and a target.

As research on bullying grows, bullying is increasingly viewed as a socio-ecological phenomenon. This view looks beyond the individual and acknowledges the multiple risk and protective factors that exist within individuals, peer groups, families, schools, communities and the wider social environment. Therefore, it is important to explore how the community around students may affect their behaviour.

Therefore, systems-thinking or whole-school approaches to bullying are more likely to be effective rather than responses that only focus on individual students.

When bullying is viewed as a socio-ecological phenomenon it requires schools to implement a range of bullying prevention approaches. This includes fostering a safe and caring school climate where prosocial behaviours are promoted and students are offered opportunities to build their social competence.