1 in 4 teachers ‘are attacked by their pupils every week’

ALMOST a quarter of teachers are attacked by pupils at least once a week as a result of soft discipline, a survey suggests.

A poll of around 5,000 teachers by the NASUWT union found 24 per cent are physically set upon by children every week.

Shockingly, 4 per cent said pupils are violent towards them on a daily basis.

One teacher said the ‘unstoppable deterioration’ of behaviour was the worst in 40 years, while another said they were afraid to walk the corridors.

The survey found 89 per cent have suffered physical or verbal abuse from pupils over the last year, while nearly a third – 29 per cent – have been hit, punched or kicked.

And only 15 per cent felt pupils were dealt with appropriately when incidents were reported.

It comes amid growing fears that schools are too ‘soft’, with some heads believing punishments such as detention or isolation are cruel.

Chris Keates, of the NASUWT, said: ‘The school system is riven with poor and unacceptable employment practices that are putting teachers at risk and driving them out of the profession.’