A student protest about bullying at a school in south-east New South Wales has been shut down amidst a media storm over the alleged attack on a 13-year-old girl by another teenager in the school's stairwell.

More than 100 students said they planned to attend what they described as a strike after a classmate was hospitalised with facial injuries earlier this week after she was allegedly assaulted by a fellow student.

A 13-year-old girl has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation over the incident, which occurred on June 19.

Students said the school intervened to stop their protest.

A still from a video showing the attack on a schoolgirl in Bega. ( Facebook )

One student said she was disappointed with the response from staff, given the rally aimed to support a change in school culture.

In a statement, an Education Department spokesperson said the school convened an assembly and gave students the chance to address the entire school.

"The leaders spoke to their fellow students about how they will continue to work with school executive and staff to address important issues, like student wellbeing," the statement said.

"The school applauded them ensuring that their voice is heard on these issues."

In a letter to parents, the school principal encouraged the school community to "talk about the values that are important to us and ways we can all ensure the safety and wellbeing of others at school".

"I want to assure you that the safety and wellbeing of your children is of utmost importance to me, the school and the Department of Education," the letter read.

Painful memories triggered

Former student Trent Hooper has started an anti-bullying Facebook page. ( Supplied )

After footage of the assault emerged on social media, a former student of the school started an anti-bullying Facebook page — Stop Bullies In Our Schools — to give victims a space to support each other.

Trent Hooper, 37, said watching the attack on the 13-year-old at his former school triggered painful memories of what happened two decades ago.

"I tried to pretty much block out all of my years [there]," he said.

Mr Hooper believes more needs to be done to help bullies realise the effect their actions have on the long-term mental health of their victims.

Years of schoolyard bullying, particularly his final two years at the school, have caused psychological scarring that he says cause him to avoid contact with people.

Some of his most painful memories involve getting kicked so hard he fell in the aisle of a school bus.

"The bus driver just looked up and did nothing" as the rest of the students on the bus exploded with laughter, Mr Hooper said.

Teachers need to 'step up'

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley said psychological scarring is an all too common outcome of school bullying.

"We've seen too many tragic incidents, we've seen kids harming themselves, we've seen kids taking their own lives," Mr Foley said.

He said schools had come along way since his days in the classroom when it was common to be told to "toughen up", but more needed to be done.

"We know it is a real issue in our schools," he said.

"We do need teachers to step up, we need school principals to step up, we need the Education Minister to step up."