Perth and Kinross schools are reporting an increasing number of incidents of distressed, challenging, violent or aggressive behaviour.
There were 1643 incidents reported by members of staff over the course of 2023/24 which affected them emotionally or physically.
The incidents have been on the rise over the past four years with the majority being reported by staff in primary schools and who most often experience physical assaults.
The figures were included in the Perth and Kinross Education Improvement Plan 2024-2025 which went before the council’s Learning and Families Committee on Wednesday, August 28.
The plan stated: “Our data shows that since term one of 2020/21 there has been an increasing number of reports by staff members of incidents of distressed, challenging, violent or aggressive behaviour in schools and other educational settings which they felt had resulted in an emotional or physical impact on them.
“Over the course of 2023/24 the number of incidents reported in most terms was relatively stable with 395 incidents in term one, 374 reports in term two and 361 incidents in term four. Although overall this demonstrates a slight decrease in incidents over time, there was a spike in incidents reported in term three with 513 incidents reported.”
Incidents were reported in nurseries, primaries and secondary schools – including within Intensive Support Provision (ISPs) and Social, Emotional and Behavioural Needs (SEBN) provision – as well as in Fairview School.
The plan stated: “There were incidents in 44 of the 69 Primary schools (includes ELC settings and ISPs), 10 of the 11 Secondary schools (includes ISPs), the Primary SEBN provision and Fairview School.
“The number of children and young people involved equates to just under one per cent of the school population with 83 per cent of the children and young people involved having additional support needs.
“Primary sector staff most frequently report incidents and are more likely to experience an incident that they identify as a physical assault; whilst two-thirds of the incidents reported by secondary school staff relate to
verbal aggression, swearing or threatening behaviour.
“A working group of Trade Union representatives and Education and Learning staff meet monthly to monitor data and drive forward actions to prevent and reduce distressed, challenging, violent or aggressive behaviours by children and young people that might lead to incidents that impact on staff members.”
As the plan was put before the committee, Bailie Chris Ahern highlighted a potential distortion of the figures.
The Conservative councillor said: “What it doesn’t say is that some people with additional support needs, multiple instances are related to that.
“Yes, there might be 83 per cent of the one per cent [are children with additional support needs] but it doesn’t state what percentage of those instances are multiple to individual young people and that may skew the figures a bit.”
PKC’s Inclusion and Additional Support Needs manager Fiona Mackay confirmed there were always pupils who were involved in multiple incidents who are then monitored closely to ensure they receive the right support.
She said: “There are always – in every term – more incidents than there are young people directly involved.
“The two things are looked at on a regular basis so we’re really clear where we’re seeing where children have multiple incidents; their situations are looked at in more detail so that we can ensure the planning and support that’s provided for them is continuing to be appropriate and addressing the needs.
“We also look to track those young people who have multiple incidents in one term and see if over time the number of incidents are coming down, as we would expect them to because we have the planning in place.”