Post pandemic rise in pupil violence and abuse must be addressed

The safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff is being undermined by a post-pandemic rise in pupil violence and abuse in Scotland’s schools, representatives from Scotland have told the Annual Conference of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union today.
 
The Conference, which is being held in Glasgow, heard that an increase in the amount and severity of verbal and physical violence from pupils appears to be a legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Representatives argued that this is being aided and abetted by a failure of leaders in some schools to take the issue seriously and put in place appropriate sanctions and strategies to promote positive behaviour and clamp down on violence and indiscipline.
 
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“Schools have a duty to act to protect both pupils and staff where incidents of indiscipline, violence and abuse occur. However, in too many cases members are reporting to us that approaches to managing indiscipline are becoming synonymous in some schools with no punishment or sanctions for unacceptable behaviour.