83% of teachers report increase in violent and abusive pupils in schools

Safety in schools is “something of a lottery”, a union has claimed, as a survey of teachers revealed 83% believe the number of pupils who are violent and abusive has increased in the past year.

Research by the NASUWT trade union found that in the last 12 months, 44% of teachers surveyed had suffered physical abuse or violence at the hands of pupils, while 90% said they had suffered verbal abuse.

A total of 476 teachers in Scotland took part in an online survey for the union – with one revealing they had had a firework thrown at them, while another complained of being the victim of “targeted and sustained personal verbal abuse” which included being threatened and having their car vandalised.

The Scottish Government said Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth is “concerned by the findings of this survey” – which found that in the last 12 months, four fifths (80%) of teachers said they had been threatened with a weapon by a pupil and 37% had been assaulted with a weapon by a pupil.

According to the NASUWT, teachers were threatened and assaulted with items including knives, guns, scissors, hockey sticks and science equipment, as well as chairs, tables, pencils, crowbars, shoes, metre sticks and sharp pieces of broken glass.

One teacher told how a chisel in a workshop was “held to the throat of another student” while one teacher told the union of a child “stating they would get a gun and shoot me”.

The union said 6% of teachers reported experiencing physical violence on a daily basis, with 15% saying they suffered this “several times a week”.

Meanwhile, 13% of teachers said they experienced verbal abuse daily, with almost a third (31%) dealing with this “several times a week”.

According to the union, two fifths (40%) of teachers surveyed had been verbally threatened in the past year, while almost a quarter (23%) had been hit or punched and 17% had been kicked, with 10% reporting being spat at in the last 12 months while 3% said they had been head-butted.

The NASUWT added: “There were multiple reports of teachers being subjected to pinching, having their hair pulled, being bitten and objects thrown across rooms and in many cases deliberately targeted at them.”

More than three quarters (77%) said their morale and enthusiasm for their job had been affected – with 13% saying they had had to take time off because of stress, with 3% having take time off due to physical injuries they suffered.

Meanwhile, almost half (46%) of teachers surveyed said they had seriously considered leaving the profession.

Although the Scottish Government produced a national action plan in August 2024, the NASUWT said this has “so far had little impact”.

Mike Corbett, NASUWT national official for Scotland, said there was “strong evidence” both councils and the local government body Cosla were “not fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure that the National Action Plan on Relationships and Behaviour is communicated and enacted in every school”.

Mr Corbett said: “Teachers and pupils have the right to expect to be safe wherever they teach or learn, but currently that is something of a lottery.”

He added: “Local authorities need to face up to their responsibilities, stop gambling with the safety of their teaching staff and work with us to ensure every school is a place of security in which children can focus on their learning and teachers can focus on helping pupils to succeed.”

NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach meanwhile said: “The safety and security of teachers and pupils should not be left to chance, yet it is clear from the survey findings that teachers are being left without the backup and effective deterrents needed to address poor pupil behaviour and to stop low-level disruption spiralling into more serious incidents of abuse.

“No teacher should experience being hospitalised, have to take time off sick or feel forced to quit their job because of the level of abuse they have suffered.

“NASUWT will not hesitate to take action in schools where members report that poor behaviour is not being addressed effectively. But we should not have to resort to union action in order to get schools and employers to take violence and abuse seriously.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Violence or abusive behaviour in our schools is completely unacceptable. We all want our schools to be safe and consistent learning environments for teachers, wider staff and pupils alike.

“The National Behaviour Action Plan was implemented as a response to growing concerns from teaching trade unions and parents regarding behaviour in our schools post pandemic.

“The plan is owned jointly between Scottish Government and local authorities – in Scotland, it is our councils who carry the statutory responsibility to deliver education.

“However, the Education Secretary is concerned by the findings of this survey. The Government will provide the first progress update on the behaviour action plan in the coming weeks.

“Ministers will work with Cosla in our continued joint efforts to raise awareness of the national action plan, and, importantly, to ensure the plan drives the improvements we all want to see in Scotland’s schools.”

Cosla has been contacted for comment.