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Attacks on school staff rare, but needs of victims 'must come first', says SBC report
Published Date: 19 November 2009
ALTHOUGH violent physical and verbal attacks by pupils on staff are rare in Borders schools, the views and needs of the victims must come first, writes Andrew Keddie.
That philisophy is enshrined in a new policy framework approved by Scottish Borders Council’s education executive last week.
Members heard there had been 59 violent incidents across the region’s nine secondaries in the 2008 calendar year and 47 of
these had been physical.
Bearing the brunt were additional needs assistants (ANAs) who were targeted on 37 occasions, 35 of them physically. There had been 16 incidents involving teachers, half of them physical.
This compared to a total of 33 such incidents (28 physical) in 2007 when the ANAs were also the principal victims.
But a report by Colin Easton, policy, planning and performance officer with SBC’s education department, revealed that total incidents in primary schools last year were 77, with all but two physical, whereas In 2007, there had been 104 attacks.
Although there was no comparative data from other education authorities in Scotland, Mr Easton stressed that violent behaviour towards staff was “rare” in the region’s schools.
He conceded that reported incidents in the past two years were higher than in 2005 and 2006, but this was due to increased awareness of the need to formally record attacks.
“An understanding that a relatively small number of pupils can be responsible for a high number of incidents is also a key issue to take into consideration,” said Mr Easton.
“In 2008, we find primary incidents decreasing with those in secondaries increasing, but this variable was caused by an individual pupil with signficant needs moving from P7 to S1.”
He later revealed that 80% of all the incidents in the primaries (77) had been perpetrated by just two pupils.
“Given that there are over 8,000 youngsters in our education system, the numbers are very, very small and we must keep things in perspective,” said Mr Easton.
“However, the issue of violence in schools is a sensitive one and one which captures the attention of all stakeholders – education managers, headteachers, school staff, parents, pupils and partner agencies like the police.
“Our department has, as a priority, the health and safety of its staff, its pupils and parents at the heart of any policy framework.
It is recognised that in any case, the focus should be on the needs of the victim and that all decisions taken following an incident should be made with the views and needs of that victim first.
“However, it is also recognised that within a school setting, where there are pupils with a variety of additional support needs, such incidents might not always take place in a pre-determined fashion or with intent to cause harm and distress.”
Mr Easton commended the new framework which had been produced by a working group comprising heads, teachers and SBC health and safety officers along with the police.
“It sets out procedures which allow professional judgements to be made at all key stages and determine subsequent actions and also includes clear guidance in relation to police involvement,” explained Mr Easton.
He said the current database of recorded violent incidents was paper-based, but it was the intention to transfer this information to an electronic system, making it easier for staff to record incidents and for trends and issues to be monitored more easily.
The electronic reporting system was currently being piloted at Peebles High.
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