Coping with violence from children

[Moshmoshi]

Does a teacher or TA have a legal right to refuse to teach a primary aged child (no diagnosed SEN or EHCP) who has behaved in a violent way towards them?

I'm thinking of behaviour such as biting, kicking, punching, headbutting etc. This hasn't actually happened to me but has to colleagues and it has just made me think about how I would cope.

No, I don't think you can refuse.

Lowdoor, do you know that, or are you guessing?

We have had this in our place recently. One child has basically assaulted 4 members of staff during violent tantrums (not connected to any SN), and another regularly kicks and bites during nappy changes.

If we're not allowed to refuse, then people will just resign (as in fact, they are doing, in droves), or not apply for vacancies, thereby fuelling the staffing crisis.

Well, I know how to work Google so I have access to the information around this which is available on line.

ATL advice

Perhaps contact your own union for their advice.

A few years ago, when I was teaching at a secondary school in London (this is an extreme case) a Year 9 boy tried to knock a teacher down with a stolen car he was driving. She was crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing and he sped up to hit her. She was OK, but very shaken. He was arrested, obviously, for stealing the car and for dangerous driving but was duly returned to school between the arrest and the court case. We, as a staff, had to have a vote to all refuse to teach him. SLT still had a duty to educate the boy, but we as a staff refused to have him in our classes. He had to do work in the Head's office.