I teach UKS2 so 9-11 year olds. My year group this year is lovely. Usual issues with persistent low level disruption from a small number but it's a breeze compared to what I've dealt with previously.
The problem is that, in many cases, we know (or have a good idea of) the root causes of persistently violent behaviour - it's usually unmet SEND that we simply don't have the resources to manage in mainstream school because of the rigours of the timetable/curriculum, expectations in primary school, unsuitable staff:pupil ratios or limited space. Or it's a result of ACES - parents in prison, drug abuse, physical/emotional/sexual abuse which requires years of intensive therapy to address - not something a class teacher can resolve in a 5 min chat at lunchtime.
We, as many schools do, pay to bring in psychotherapists, play therapists, counsellors etc. But it's a drop in the ocean. We have nurture groups and a robust behaviour policy but I am also expected to get a % of my child to GD. I have children with EHCPs who are entitled to 121 support (which we don't have the staffing for) who get 321 support instead for an hour a day so we have to manage their educational needs within class. Whilst also supporting the children who struggle to access the curriculum due to EAL, generally low ability without SEND. I don't have a TA and haven't for 4 years.
This year, I haven't had, nor do I expect, violent behaviour from any of my children but last year was a very different matter. I was physically and/or verbally assaulted on an a daily basis. There are parents we can't speak to alone because of their behaviour and threats towards us.
Nothing is done because the bottom line is every child has the right to an education. Even the children who behave violently. That's why there is the push to not exclude. The evidence required to support an exclusion is immense. We have to evidence that we have done absolutely everything we could have done to prevent it. Due to the lack of funding/resources, there is inevitably more that could have theoretically been done but little that could practically have been done. So many exclusions aren't upheld anyway.
We had children last year who would attack teachers, attack their peers, racially abuse staff and other children, trash the classrooms, cause lessons to he abandoned and classroom evacuated.
Excluding is unpopular because where do they go? There aren't enough alternative provisions for them to get a more suitable school place; it's just passing the problem on to a different school, different adults and different children. It doesn't solve the problem. Or a new school can't be found so they spend ll day at home with the adults and in the environment that has caused their issues in the first place and that's a safeguarding risk to them.
The problem is regarded as beginning and ending with schools.
I have always said that I would report to the police if I was seriously assaulted by a child or parent (we have had parents who would also trash classrooms and make threats of physical violence towards staff) but its difficult because we have to keep the needs and rights of the child at the centre of everything we do. And involving the police would be seen as a hostile move.
I don't know whether that would be viewed differently at secondary school where the students are nearing adulthood but I suspect not.
I've worked previously in an alternative provision and they don't see the same level of violent behaviour because the whole school infrastructure is set up to manage it. Small classes, large staff:pupil ratios. I worked in one where any disruption would be dealt with by immediate removal of that child from class. We had walkie talkies. In mainstream schools, you request support and it doesn't come because there can be 5 members of staff already dealing with other serious incidents. So you and your class are left to deal with it alone unless you can send a child to another classroom for help when their teacher will allow your entire class to be evacuated to their classroom meaning learning is disrupted for two classes.
I know de-escaltion techniques. Sometimes it works but there are some children who actively resist. Some who will disengage md react further when they realise they are starting to calm down!
And we are constantly reminded that all children have a right to an education regardless of how distasteful we find their behaviour. We're expected to just take it ad deal with it. Bruises and scratches are part of the job.