Teachers face aggression

Staff in state schools are having to deal with high levels of aggression from students and their parents, a survey from the ATL teachers’ union shows.

Over half (57%) of respondents in a joint ATL-ITV news survey of more than 1,500 school staff said they had faced aggression from students in the last year. More than a quarter (27%) said they had experienced aggression from a student’s parent or carer.

Verbal insults and intimidation or threats were the most common forms of aggression, but 45% of those experiencing aggression from students said it took the form of physical violence. The 4% of those experiencing aggression from parents or carers said that this was physical.

Examples of physical violence included the use of objects such as furniture, as well as pushing, shoving, punching and kicking.

Dealing with students’ aggression has caused 60% of staff who have experienced it to feel a loss of confidence in their work and — just over a third (34%) — to have mental health issues, including stress, depression and anxiety. Similar figures were reported for those facing aggression from a parent or carer.

ATL general secretary Mary Bousted expressed shock at the level of aggression reported towards teachers. She called for “firm and consistent discipline policies” in schools while also lauding the “amazing” work done by teachers.

“As well as having to be experts in their own subject, teachers also need to be psychologists and behavioural experts.” Bousted said.

www.atl.org.uk/media-office/media-archive/Half-of-education-staff-have-faced-aggression-from-students-in-the-last-year.asp?