Teachers see violence from pupils as ‘par for the course’

AN “unstoppable deterioration” in school pupil behaviour has led to a quarter of teachers experiencing violence in the classroom at least once a week, according to a survey.

A poll of almost 5,000 teachers, commissioned by the union NASUWT, found 89 per cent were subjected to physical or verbal abuse over the past year, while 24 per cent said pupils were physically attacking them at least once a week, and 4 per cent said this happened every day.

Of the poll respondents, 29 per cent said they have been hit, punched or kicked, and 39 per cent have been shoved or barged.

Other attacks involved being spat at, butted, and having personal property damaged.

One teacher said: “Having taught for almost 40 years, I have witnessed a demonstrable and seemingly unstoppable deterioration in pupil behaviour.

“Moreover, teachers are, it seems, now expected to tolerate verbal abuse and threats as ‘par for the course’ and as ‘an occupational hazard’.”

Four in five of the respondents said abuse had affected their morale and enthusiasm for their job and threequarters felt they were ill-equipped to meet children’s behavioural needs.

Chris Keates, the NASUWT general secretary, said: “No teacher should ever have to go to work with the expectation of being verbally or physically abused.

“Pupil indiscipline is now second only to workload in teachers’ concern about their job and is a contributory factor to the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Teachers and school staff have a right to be safe while doing their jobs and any form of misconduct, particularly violence towards them, is completely unacceptable.”