More than 400 injuries were reported among teaching staff due to violence in Stirling’s classrooms within just six months, new figures have revealed.
Concerns have been raised about the safety of teaching staff and pupils following an increase in the number of injuries to staff members.
Information given to Stirling Council’s children and young people committee has outlined the sheer scale of the issue for schools across the area, with 429 staff injuries reported between August 2023 and February 2024 – an increase of 123.
Over the period, reports submitted for verbal and physical aggression incidents towards council staff totalled 676 (across early years, primary, secondary, specialist and transport) – a rise of 181 compared to the same reporting period in 2023.
Almost all the incidents were said to have involved children and young people with additional support needs.
Officers told the committee: “Similar to the national picture, in Stirling Council there has been an increase in the number of incidents reported by education staff, related to verbal and physical aggression towards staff.
“Regular meetings with education, health and safety and trade union colleagues have taken place to review the local data and to consider ways of addressing concerns around inconsistent reporting of incidents, staff wellbeing, staff knowledge and skills.”
In early years, of 54 incidents reported, 34 resulted in staff being injured. In secondary schools, of 35 reported incidents, staff sustained injuries in five. Transport saw five incidents, with four involving injuries.
However in primary schools – of 323 incidents reported – 204 resulted in staff being hurt, while in specialist settings, of 259 reports, 182 involved injuries to staff.
Officers reported: “There were a further 181 forms received during this reporting period compared to the same reporting period in 2022-23, and an increase of 123 reported injuries in comparison.
“Support staff reported the highest number of incidents, although there are concerns that support staff are not always managing to have time off the floor to complete incident forms.
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“A smaller number of children and young people are involved in these incidents – ie there may be repeated incidents reported relating to one child or young person.
“Almost all children and young people have one or more additional support need, including those in mainstream school settings.
“It is acknowledged that there are a range of factors that may have contributed to the increase in violence in schools such as the impact of family circumstances, relating to stressors experienced during, and post-pandemic, along with environmental factors, such as less access to social, emotional and academic learning opportunities for children during this time.
“While there is a growing focus on staff wellbeing and supportive cultures across all establishments, it is important to recognise that the demands on frontline staff and managers have increased due to the growing levels of additional support and wellbeing needs in schools and early years settings.”
Officers said work to increase awareness of the importance of reporting incidents may also have contributed to the increase in the number of forms received.
Councillors agreed unanimously to establish a cross party working group alongside representatives from education, health and safety and trade unions to try and address the issue.
Following the meeting, committee member Conservative councillor Thomas Heald said: “Our teachers are already under huge pressure with the demands facing them growing exponentially, particularly with the rise in additional support and wellbeing needs in schools.
“Every teacher, or support worker, has a right to be able to do their job without fear of harm.
“There are undoubtedly a range of factors which have contributed to the situation that we are now in, not least the impact of the pandemic, however I remain deeply concerned at the situation and want to ensure the working group consider a full range of measures being introduced, across our school estate, to deter and prevent as many of these incidents as possible.
“I am pleased that there is cross party consensus on this issue across the council and I will work with anyone to improve the situation in our classrooms.”
The working group is expected to consider views expressed by children, young people, parents, carers and staff and report back to the committee in 2025.