Moves after sharp rise in school violence

COUNCILLORS will consider a plan of action to deal with a sharp rise in violence in Moray schools.

The number of reported violent and aggressive incidents within the area's schools shot up by 48% over the last 12 months – after an 18% fall in 2017.

The rise prompted a survey of the region's school staff – the results of which are now being looked at.

The policy and resources committee was today told that a push to report incidents of challenging behaviour in schools did not fully explain the huge jump.

In order to investigate any underlying reasons for the rise and to quantify the scale and scope of the problem, the central health and safety committee sent out a survey to all school staff who came into contact with pupils – including teachers, support staff, catering and janitorial staff.

The Challenging Behaviour Survey results indicate that a significant proportion of the reported violent and aggressive incidents arise from situations involving pupils with additional support needs either in schools with enhanced bases or within a mainstream setting.

Teachers highlighted behaviours that they found particularly disruptive or difficult to deal with – including children climbing out of upper-storey windows, pupils threatening to jump off fire escapes, parents' verbal threats or veiled threats, youngsters spitting, and children walking out of class and hiding.

There was a response rate of 20%.

Following a violent incident within a school, employees have to complete an Incident Report Form and these are used to formulate statistics. Each term the statistics are considered in-depth by officers from the violence and aggression working group to ensure that appropriate supports and actions are in place both for pupils and staff.

Committee chairman Councillor Aaron McLean said: "The committee should be satisfied that officers are looking at this issue and we're working towards making sure that the numbers aren't so high, and making sure that if an incident does happen the staff and everyone involved feel comfortable to report it."

The survey responses will now be considered by the central health and safety committee and the violence and aggression working group to identify appropriate areas for improved outcomes, the actions required to achieve these, resources and timescales.

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