1 in 5 teachers hit by a pupil

You make a valuable point about when they’re adults. It’s all very well saying the children are violent because their ‘needs aren’t being met’ but isn’t this teaching that violence is acceptable if you don’t like what somebody is doing, or if you want something, and it’s up to them to bend around you or risk being hit/kicked? What WILL happen when these kids are adults who have had people tiptoeing around them their entire lives?

Ah right. Feel sorry for them. They should do a module on what classrooms are like in terms of violence early on then they can drop out.

That’s a very balanced opinion, which I’d agree with. Unfortunately, the general tone of the thread is very geared towards solely blaming parents – quite aggressively.

No but they can plan an exit when an opportunity comes up elsewhere. Start looking. People move jobs all the time

I read the BBC article about this earlier. There was a head in Yorkshire working in a school who had got an inadequate Ofsted rating-behaviour was awful and he had implemented a strict toilet policy to stop internal absences where teens were going to the toilets during lessons and vaping/ using their phones.

It made me think of the outrage on here/Facebook/the Daily Mail when things like that are implemented! But what else do people think heads should implement to improve things?

It's easy to say that, but the reality can be very different. People still have bills to pay, and as much as they hate their job it's not always possible to just up and leave.

I like my job, I'm good at it, it "makes a difference" but if I started being attacked at work I'd leave

Yup. And I'm amazed anyone carries on and doesn't go and get a less violent job

I do find it funny that shops, post offices, hospitals etc they have signs saying abuse will not be tolerated but in schools it's becoming a norm and for TAs especially 'part of the job'!

My main issues is there isn't any boundaries and consequences for the behaviour because 'behaviour is communication' and several years ago when I was working with a violent child who was waiting assessment etc - SLT basically said we can't exclude we are an inclusive schools and did you follow the behaviour plan. Triggers for the child were stopping them from doing what they wanted, being told no etc. so if you wanted them to do any work they would kick off but then it would be our fault for asking him to! So you are just babysitting the child. I said to my head I feel like I'm on egg shells all the time, fearing saying or doing the wrong thing and also because the young children were seeing them being violent, trashing the classroom and excuses were made for them (and no consequences) we were breeding the next generation of domestic abuse victims where if a partner hits them etc, it's not that persons fault they can't help it! It had a massive impact on my mental health, I wanted to drive into a tree on the way to work just to get some time off! But knew if I had time off it would put more pressure of the rest of the team. Took me a long time after to even look at the child, I would get stomach gut reaction if they came into the classroom as they got older! Which I know their behaviour wasn't all their fault, they were going through trauma but the situation was awful for staff!

Additionally I now work in a foundation unit in school and we are seeing more children who hit and kick staff (not necessarily all SEN children). I also see children at this age being disrespectful and hitting parents and parents not really having a discussion with the child about it! Which then doesn't help the child at school when more rules and expectations are put on them.

You do realise violence against staff is an issue in hospitals?

What's an ECT?

Thats great for the children they support and the classes that benefit from their work. Maybe they want to do the job they’re in.

Yes if patients keep attacking nurses and doctors then why would they carry on being a nurse and doctor?

What good is being valued more if you're being attacked regularly. Yes it would be good if the role was paid more, researched more and not subject to physical and verbal assault. But that's not the role. So don't do it. Go and do something else.

But people have mortgages to pay and their own children to support. Do you think this stance would be suitable for the NHS too?

Agreed. I've worked in schools for the past 5 years and it's not always children with SEN.
I've worked with an autistic boy who was an absolute sweetheart and impeccably behaved.

@SeulementUneFois The police in my school’s area simply don’t care/have the capacity. We’ve called about weapons and gangs on the school site and it can take between hours to a few days until the police arrive. Crimes that take place out of school (unless very serious) are passed back to the school to deal with!

They do which doesn’t help the situation at all. Would be nice if instead of a shrug and leave suggestion they were valued more.

Yes I have but clearly the government haven't. So they won't notice until there are zero staff left. Then it won't be someone else's problem it will be no ones problem. No one should feel compelled to stay in a job just because someone has to do it

Can you quote where I said it’s the teachers fault? I said the last (very recent and very large) thread descended into a lengthy pile on on working parents (mothers specifically). Do I think that’s helpful? No.

Have you not noticed that this is exactly what is happening in the teaching profession??

It's not solving the problem it's just making it someone else's problem.

Fair enough. They should probably leave if they are getting attacked so often