Scotland has the highest rate of violent injuries to school staff in the UK, new figures from a freedom of information request suggest.
The figures, obtained by Channel 4 News FactCheck from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), show that between March 2014 and March 2024 there were 490 reports of serious injuries to school staff in Scotland caused by violence.
Workplace injuries above a certain threshold of seriousness must be reported to the HSE.
The rate is higher than in Wales and all of the English regions, once adjusted for population size. The HSE does not cover Northern Ireland.
The injuries reported included fractures, dislocations and loss of consciousness.
And two-thirds of the injuries occurred in primary schools.
Behaviour in Scottish schools ‘has got worse’
These latest findings follow previous revelations about a rising number of violent injuries to teachers and other school staff across the UK.
Scotland saw 91 injuries logged in the latest year - three times the number seen 10 years before and the fastest rise of anywhere in Britain.
Mike Corbett, Scotland national official for the NASUWT teaching union, described the findings as “hugely disturbing” and said they reflected what union members have been reporting for some time.
“That reinforces what we hear from too many of our members, that serious incidents of abuse and violence are not being dealt with appropriately,” he said.
Mr Corbett said most pupils are well behaved but he noted a rise in disruptive behaviour, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many schools in Scotland have adopted a “restorative” approach to behaviour management, which promotes dialogue and resolution rather than traditional disciplinary measures such as detentions or exclusions.
However, Mr Corbett raised concerns that those methods may not be work for more severe incidents.
Restorative approaches are only “appropriate for low-level disruption, not for more serious issues”, he said.
Responding to the figures, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said they made for “tough reading” but reflected reports from teachers and parents.
He hit out at the government for “churning out long and ineffective guidance that leaves teachers no clearer about what action they should take”.
He said: “Councils and schools should be empowered to respond to bullying and violence appropriately. Instead the education secretary seems to just be praying that the problem goes away.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish government said the National Behaviour Action Plan had been published and work was also underway to improve support for pupils with additional support needs.
The spokesperson added that councils carry the statutory responsibility to deliver education - not the Scottish government - and it was therefore up to them to “implement the national guidance”.
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