Thousands of cases of classroom violence recorded in Wales are "the tip of the iceberg", a union has said.
One special school teacher, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he had been assaulted numerous times: "Spat at, punched, headbutted, kicked, bitten."
The NASUWT said systems for reporting aggression were "a mess" and staff who were targeted felt unsupported.
Data obtained by Welsh Tories suggests at least 5,000 recorded violence cases against school staff from 2018 to 2022.
Conservatives have called for a national helpline for staff and new guidance on collecting data.
The Welsh government said any abuse of staff was "totally unacceptable", while the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said councils were supportive of all school staff.
The anonymous teacher said: "Colleagues have had hair set on fire.
