1 in 5 teachers hit by a pupil

[MrsMurphyIWish]

AIBU to think it’s a low as that?

The worst encounter I have had is being pushed down the stairs when I was heavily pregnant with DS - luckily I grabbed the railing, however I was still expected to teach the boy. (He didn’t even get a detention). I teach in a different school now but swearing, general contempt (from some pupils), threats are still common. No physical violence though.

I put up with it as I’m in the money trap and waiting for mortgage to be paid off so I can escape but in’s worry if this doesn’t change we’ll have an endless cycle of ECTs who leave after a few years, continued missed recruitment targets, and behaviour will get even worse!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-68674568 - * (post edited at OP's request to add link to BBC news site)

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

That is happening and will only exacerbate issues in school as we will have more and more unqualified teachers being employed and more ECTS. When I first started teaching my classroom management wasn’t what it is today - it’s a skill learned from older teachers and the support of a good SLT. I’m now one of the “oldies” at 45 and one of the few staff on UPS3 at my school - there are fewer and fewer older teachers to mentor younger staff and pass on those skills.

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.

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

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.

What's an ECT?

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

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.

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

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

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 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?

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

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.

@vanillawaffle Early Careers Teacher. It used to be NQT but during Covid the DfE changed the “probation” year to two years.

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.

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?

I don’t blame parents. Behaviour has increasingly got worse over the last decade … who has been in power for the last 14? That’s who I blame - along with the education ministers. We’ve had so many I’ve lost count. One was employed for less than 24 hours before the cabinet was reshuffled!

I work in what many would consider a lovely school, but the behaviour is horrendous. I often wonder what would happen if a parent could be a fly on the wall and see what happens their child's class. I honestly think many would decide to remove them from school.

Quite! I left over a year ago but we often used to say this too. Also, it would be interesting what the parents thought of their child's behaviour and whether they'd still defend them to the hilt and complain to the school for putting sanctions in place!

I have a stupid question, at what point do schools think it’s appropriate to involve the police. I’m assuming if a teacher was stabbed? But anything else? When can a teacher press chargers vs “it’s part of the job rubbish”

I've been a teacher for 11 years, I was a TA previously and since starting working in education I've been bitten (loads!), spat on, hit, scratched, had a bone fracture in my foot, had a drum stick launched at my head, had chairs chucked, tables tipped, swore at, kicked and threatened. I moved school in September and the violence is still there but I have a very supportive, present SLT who do get involved, support all staff and exclude violent children if needed.

What WILL happen when these kids are adults who have had people tiptoeing around them their entire lives?

Well mine are only just adults but actually both are doing OK at university thank you. The thing is IF appropriate support is put in place then a violent child does not become a violent adult. The problem is that as hard as it was to get that support in place ten years ago it is harder now.

What support is that?

Yes, your kids are violent and insubordinate!

This is why I started teaching in a private school. I will NEVER look back.

This is why I wholeheartedly support permanent exclusions at the drop of a hat. If kids think it's okay to hurt teachers, they will go on to hurt others like shop employees, receptionists, police etc.