Teachers in Wales facing 'extreme' challenges with pupil behaviour
95% of staff faced abusive language from pupils in the last year.
A teaching union says staff in Wales are facing 'extreme' challenges when it comes to dealing with abuse from pupils.
The NASUWT says 95% of teachers in Wales faced abusive language in the classroom with more than a third experiencing violence in the last 12 months.
Speaking at the union’s Annual Conference in Harrogate, National Executive Members for Wales Mark Morris and Sharron Daly have argued that the Welsh Government must do more to protect teachers and pupils from violent and abusive pupil behaviour.
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said: “We do not accept a situation in which teachers in Wales feel abandoned by their employers or by the Welsh Government and left alone to deal with serious episodes of pupil indiscipline and violence.
“Teachers did not sign up to become punch bags or referees in physical altercations between pupils. They have a right to feel and to be safe at work.
“Tackling these issues requires openness, transparency and honesty about the scale of the behaviour crisis.
“An all-Wales behaviour summit would, in our view, help to highlight the issues and develop a programme of solutions that will deliver the changes needed.”
Neil Butler, NASUWT National Official for Wales, said: “Our teachers are operating in a hostile environment where they cannot teach and pupils cannot learn. Their calls for help are ignored. Many have chosen to leave the profession and we cannot recruit to replace them.
“The Welsh Government must open its eyes to the crisis unfolding in our schools. As a matter of urgency, we need funding for alternative provision and increased classroom support.
"Teachers should be empowered to deal with challenging behaviour through decreased class sizes and balanced workloads.
“Local councils and senior leaders are acting as if abusive pupil behaviour is not their problem. If we are to tackle these issues, we must do it together – teachers cannot be expected to cope alone.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Any form of violence or abuse against staff in our schools is completely unacceptable.
"We want our schools to be safe and welcoming environments where teachers can get on with their jobs, ensuring that every child and young person is supported to reach their potential.
“There is a duty on local authorities and schools to ensure schools are a safe environment for all.”