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)

I grew up in a very rough area and went to a very rough school. Unlike some on here teachers were occasionally hit, but it was extremely rare and everyone in the school knew about it. It also almost always led to an automatic exclusion from school.

I am a supply teacher and have been for over 20 years. I have had one chair thrown at me, one boy pushed me and a girl bit me twice. Different schools but all within the last 3 years.

A child like this would be managed out at our school, send or not. it's a private school though. Shocking what I've read here. Poor teachers, having to deal with violent children. No wonder so many are leaving.

A TA friend of mine is a 1-1 with a child with SEN and he hits her numerous times a day. He also screams blue murder from very close range, and she is concerned that it is damaging her hearing.

To be clear, I was recognising it as a contributing factor - not the only factor. I am sure there is a multitude of other reasons and have read with interest on this thread.

Could she use loop earplugs or similar?

I got pulled off other duties to be a 1-1 for a violent lad. Over the course of 5/6 months I was hit, kicked, bit, stabbed with pencils and tried to with scissors. Spat on, sworn at and had books and chairs thrown at me. When he wasn't doing those things he was a nice lad whose mum was a crack addict and was shacking up with her dealer, he got his 2 sisters fed and ready for school and was angry at the world for the shit hand he'd been dealt. He was 8. For those of you that say kick 'em out, call the police, get another job, these are children we're talking about and if we don't stick up for them who the fuck will?

@titbumwillypoo I understand what you are saying. But I would never put up with being hit as part of work whatever the reason.

What would you do then?

On the point of exclusion.

We don't exclude some of our children for violent behaviour because we know it is caused by parenting and we know the environment we are sending the children into if we do.

@OldChinaJug
They leave, which many staff are doing and get paid the same if not more at a supermarket without the abuse or violence!

Let's not also forget that many of the TAs who are working with the children especially in primary school are women!

I'm just over 5 foot and had a 9yo kick out and punch me he was nearly as tall as me and of big build, I couldn't control the situation or manoeuvre to a safe place.

We know many of the children have had traumatic experiences and lives , are in an unfit education system for their needs/ but it doesn't make the violence ok nor should it be the abuse is tolerated or accepted! A mainstream classroom / school as they are, (30 children, no support, curriculum not age appropriate, no creativity etc )isn't right for a lot of children!

@OldChinaJug Why should I or others accept low pay to work with the most disadvantaged children who regularly attack you?
Teachers complain about their low pay and compare it to Drs and solicitors. TAs do not even get paid as much as supermarket workers.

We know many of the children have had traumatic experiences and lives , are in an unfit education system for their needs/ but it doesn't make the violence ok nor should it be the abuse is tolerated or accepted! A mainstream classroom / school as they are, (30 children, no support, curriculum not age appropriate, no creativity etc )isn't right for a lot of children!
This. We shouldn't be teaching children that there's ok excuses for people being assaulted.

Agree with previous posters about behaviour getting worse and worse. This Spring Term has undoubtedly been the most challenging term I have had as a Primary School teacher.

In the last 6 weeks I’ve been spat at, had items thrown at me leaving bruising, been slapped across the face, kicked, punched and on Friday I was kicked in the face causing a split lip. All of this by primary school children under 8.

The pressure schools are under at the moment is unsustainable and teachers are leaving in droves.

What happens when the parents are called into the school to discuss?

Some of the parents deflect - their child couldn’t possibly have done this (trashed classroom along with violent towards staff) without something/someone provoking them and what are we doing about it. Despite them being asked to go to the classroom and collect their child and seeing chairs/items all over the floor. They step over the chairs.

Some of them just don’t care. Pick them up when they have been excluded and take them to McDonald’s/somewhere for a treat.

Some don’t care in the other sense that they won’t answer the phone to even collect the child because they’ve been on a bender/getting their hits and children’s services are then involved - who are equally as stretched and have told us previously we cannot exclude a child at the time as they weren’t sure if their home was safe and wouldn’t be able to check in time.

It’s a minefield and so many factors to consider and I know it’s not just my school - which isn’t a ‘bad’ school by any stretch! Unsure what the answer is for schools - at the moment I can only see the education system crumbling and I’m in Wales so don’t have the other pressures of the English curriculum either!

My colleague (25 years teaching experience) was hit over the head by a 9 year old boy who didn't like the book they were reading. This was just over 12 months ago.

She has an Acquired Brain Injury affecting her movement, memory and speech. She requires daily care. She can never work or live independently again. Her two young children (now aged 8 and 10) have become her carers. She no longer works, reads, goes on holiday, goes out with her friends to the pub, attends her kid's' school events..

The child still attends the same school because it was decided that his needs were not being met if he were to move to another school.

No one wants to teach him so recruitment is even more difficult.

@NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy That is horrific

OMG. How on earth did he manage to inflict that kind of injury? Absolutely shocking he is still at the school.

@GoodnightAdeline A year old can be surprisingly strong, and a hard whack to the head can cause brain injury.

Racist insults
Constant swearing
Pushed past onthe stairs when I was heavily pregnant and just laughed when I fell
Worst one - tried to break up a fight and ended up stepping into a punch which fractured my cheekbone - I was then suspended without pay while an investigation took place as the student complained that I was the cause of his bruised knuckles. Thank goodness for my union and my casualty X-Rays. I left teaching in the UK after that and am now 15 years into my international teaching career where I get to actually teach children - not just supervise them.

That’s horrendous. Stories like that should not exist.

This is truly horrifying. My mother was a teacher. She taught in a high school in an area notorious for gang violence in the '80s (not the UK) and literally never had to contend with anything remotely like this.

He should be locked away forever before he kills a woman. Criminal age of responsibility should be waived in such instances.

If my 9 yo son inflicted that kind of injury on someone I would report him to the police MYSELF!

They investigated YOU for bruising his knuckles? OMG britain is a joke. You can't write this!