Our Learning

KiVa: Our School’s Anti-Bullying Programme

At Tawhai School we are committed to creating a safe, supportive, and respectful learning environment for all our students. That’s why we’ve implemented the KiVa Antibullying Programme. This guide provides a brief overview of KiVa and how it helps our students.

What is KiVa?

KiVa is an internationally recognised, research-based programme developed in Finland. The name “KiVa” is a Finnish acronym that can be translated to “kind” or “nice”m and it also stands for “Kiusaamista Vastaan”, meaning “against bullying”.

The KiVa programme is not just a set of lessons; it’s a whole-school approach involving students, staff, and parents. Its main goals are to:

  • Prevent bullying from happening in the first place.
  • Effectively intervene in bullying incidents when they do occur.
  • Continuously monitor the bullying situation within our school.

How Does KiVa Work?

KiVa works on multiple levels:

  • Universal Actions (Prevention): All students participate in KiVa lessons and activities
  • throughout the school year. These lessons focus on:
    • Understanding what bullying is and its impact.
    • Recognising and respecting others.
    • Promoting empathy and positive social skills.
    • Teaching students how to support those who are being bullied and how to act if they witness bullying (the role of the bystander).
    • Online games and resources often supplement these lessons.
  • Indicated Actions (Intervention): When a bullying incident is suspected or reported,
  • our trained KiVa Team (made up of school staff) will:
    • Investigate the situation thoroughly.
    • Have discussions with the students involved, including those who have bullied, those who have been bullied, and sometimes key bystanders.
    • Focus on stopping the bullying and ensuring the well-being of the student who was targeted.
    • Follow up to ensure the bullying has stopped.

What Are the Benefits for Our Students?

Schools implementing KiVa have seen positive results, including:

  • A reduction in bullying and victimisation.
  • Increased empathy and supportive behaviours among students.
  • Improved student well-being and a more positive school atmosphere.
  • Students feeling more confident to report bullying and trust that it will be addressed.

How Can Parents Support KiVa?

Your role as a parent is crucial:

  • Talk to your child about KiVa and the importance of treating everyone with respect.
  • Take any concerns seriously. If you suspect your child is being bullied or is bullying others, please contact your child’s teacher or the school office immediately. We are here to help.
  • Cooperate with the school. If we contact you about a bullying incident, please work with us to resolve the situation constructively.
  • Reinforce the messages of kindness, empathy, and respect at home.

Together, we can make Tawhai School a place where every child feels safe, valued, and supported. The KiVa programme provides us with effective tools and strategies to achieve this.

If you have any further questions about KiVa, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.