Teachers targeted by violent pupils

Date published: 20/03/2008

One in 10 state school teachers has been injured by a violent pupil, a union has warned.

Unruly children are also wrecking lessons for other pupils who want to learn, according to the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).

The union surveyed 800 members across the UK and found two-thirds of teachers believed standards of behaviour were getting worse, despite repeated Government crackdowns on poor discipline.

Speaking at ATL’s annual conference in Torquay, the union’s general secretary Mary Bousted said: “No teacher should have to tolerate these unacceptable levels of poor pupil behaviour and certainly no-one should be attacked in school.

“Not only is poor behaviour driving teaching staff away at an alarming rate - 65 per cent have considered leaving the profession as a consequence - it is also damaging the chances of other pupils during lessons by causing major disruption.”

Nearly all state school and college staff who took part in the survey reported problems with low-level disruption, such as pupils talking, using mobile phones in class and ignoring teachers’ requests.

But three out of 10 said they had experienced physical aggression, while three-quarters had been threatened or insulted by a pupil.

One in 10 teachers and college lecturers said a violent student had caused them physical harm.