EXCLUSIVE: 'Great concern' over rise in attacks on school staff in the North and North-East of Scotland
An MFR News investigation has revealed an increase in Highland, Moray and Aberdeenshire
Last updated 17th Jan 2024
An MFR News investigation has revealed an increase in attacks on teachers and other support staff in Highland, Moray and Aberdeenshire.
Our Freedom of Information (FOI) request shows Moray has seen a 214% increase in incidents over the last 5 years, while Highland has also experienced attacks more than trebling in that period.
In Aberdeenshire, attacks using a weapon have increased from 6 in 2017-18 to 28 in the last school year.
In the case of Highland, the Local Authority has also offered a suggested reason behind the increase in overall reported attacks.
In addition to the data, they add that 2022-23 saw more "distressed behaviours" following return to school post covid.
They also note the impact of a new reporting system, where staff are able to record incidents as they occur.
Highland EIS representative Alistair Bell says the figures are of "great concern" and blame has been "apportioned to covid."
Worsening behaviour not just limited to the North of Scotland
In Moray, attacks with a weapon in class are up 277%, while Highland's seen an increase from 209 to 444 incidents involving a weapon (conventional or improvised) - with just 30 attacks last year seeing a suspension or expulsion.
Support staff in Moray have also seen a marked increase in classroom assaults, up from 460 just 5 years ago, to 1449 in 2022-23.
Mr Bell says the issue has been widely reported with colleagues across Scotland.
He said: "We are aware of these happening.
“We want something done about this because clearly, any worker deserves the right to attend their place of work safely.
“None of us should go to work expecting to be attacked either verbally or physically by anybody. Be it a child, member of the public or a parent etc.
“Worsening behaviour in schools is an issue and that’s not just limited to Highland.
"People tend to put the violence and Additional Support Needs (ASN) together, but they shouldn’t be.
"Yes, there are incidents that occur around children/young adults with ASN, but there are also incidents that occur where there are no identified needs.
"They are what people might just term as ‘bad children.’ It’s these deliberate acts that need to really be clamped down upon.
"It’s about understanding at every level. "
Pupils missed out on 'key transition' periods during covid
Mr Bell feels during the pandemic, youngsters missed out on key transition periods including P7 to S1 where pupils are faced with bigger schools, more teachers and more classes.
He added: "It is of great concern that incidents are increasing. Blame has been apportioned to Covid.
"The pupils that were in P7 during the first lockdown, they missed out their transition to secondary school.
"They missed out on the last 3 months or so of primary, then got flung straight into secondary.
"Our wish is that people are given sufficient time in the immediate aftermath of an incident in which to recover.
"We want people to be given the time and certainly not to be thrown straight back into a classroom with the same pupil.
"That in itself would be a traumatic experience."
Last year, teaching unions criticised the Scottish Government for a lack of action on their pledge to reduce teachers' class-contact time by 90 minutes per week, to 21 hours from the current 22.5.
Mr Bell feels this must be acted upon.
He said: "We’re looking for the Scottish Government to put more money into schools so they’ve got adequate resourcing.
“The money needs to be there to provide the adequate levels of staffing , adequate levels of resourcing and adequate time."
Abusive behaviour in schools "completely unacceptable" - Scottish Government
The Scottish Government say they're bringing forward an action plan which will tackle issues at a local and national level.
A spokesperson said: "Scotland’s schools should be safe learning environments for all – violence and abusive behaviour towards pupils or staff is completely unacceptable.
“The Education Secretary has been clear that more needs to be done to address incidents of behaviour, which is why the Scottish Government is bringing forward a National Action Plan - this will set out a range of actions needed at both local and national level. We are committed to working with local authorities, teachers and trade union partners on the development of this plan.”
Head of Education for Aberdeenshire Council, Susan Smith said: "We know the vital contribution all of our staff make on a daily basis, improving standards in our schools and keeping our young people safe.
“As an employer we take the responsibility of keeping our staff safe extremely seriously.
“Assault and verbal abuse is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
“We continue to work with schools and individuals to provide the right support for them to thrive in the workplace, just as we strive to ensure that our children and young people have the opportunity to thrive too."
Staff have to complete mandatory training
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “Councils have a legal requirement to include pupils with needs in mainstream school settings with their peers (Education Scotland Act 2000).
"Where staff feel threatened or are harmed, we meet our duty of care with relevant review of protocol and planning around support requirements, including revisions to behaviour support planning. We record incidents via the pupil incident system and analyse this regularly for trends with staff advising managers and head teachers on interventions required.
“The increase in incidents for 2022/23 is in part due to more distressed behaviours following return to school post Covid-19 pandemic, and a new reporting system where staff are able to record incidents as they occur.
“Corporate wellbeing policies and procedures are also available to staff to support their needs and can also include support through our education psychology team. Staff have to complete mandatory training along with refresh training including ‘de-escalation training’, which effectively are strategies to avoid situations with pupils, developing toward a situation where they may become overanxious and unable to regulate their behaviour.
“There is also mandatory training on neurodevelopmental differences which equips staff with outline information on the needs of pupils who may have autism/attention deficit/communication needs. Where risk is identified as being significant in relation to a pupil, ASN staff can be CALM trained which includes non-physical and physical interventions to de-escalate situations.
“We do not comment on individual staffing or pupil matters. We work regularly with unions on staffing concerns.”
A Moray Council spokesperson said: "We acknowledge there has been an increase in disruptive behaviours within our schools and considerably so post-covid.
"Violent and abusive behaviour towards pupils or staff is completely unacceptable and we have robust policies in place to support individuals in the event of any incidents.
"Additional support is being provided for schools and staff where we are seeing increases in violent incidents within individual settings.
"However, while there is an emerging identification of a medium to long term consequence of Covid being seen in our schools it is possible this is not yet being fully recognised as a wider societal issue."