Question reference: S6W-23537
- Date lodged: 4 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Educational Institute of Scotland campaign and survey, Stand Up for Quality Education, which found that "three quarters of schools said teachers have sustained physical injuries and almost two thirds report that teachers in their school had been on sick leave following a violent and aggressive incident".
Answer
No teacher, member of staff or pupil should have to suffer abuse in schools. The Scottish Government is absolutely clear that our schools should be safe and consistent learning environments for all, and that violent and abusive behaviour towards pupils or staff is unacceptable.
Last month concluded a series of summits I held with a wide range of stakeholders on behaviour in schools. The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research was also published, which set out that while the majority of pupils are well behaved there has been an increase in some forms of serious disruptive behaviours, including violence.
In my statement to Parliament on 29 November, I confirmed a multi-year plan is in development to address issues identified in the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research. This plan will be developed in collaboration with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools, and we expect it to be published early next year.