NEU Cymru, Wales’s largest education union, has concerns around the alarming and unprecedented rise in violence and abuse directed at school staff over recent years, and is calling for greater awareness of the root causes behind this rise in violence which include underfunded additional learning needs (ALN) provision, inadequate mental health support, staff shortages, and a lack of suitable alternative provision and training.
NEU Cymru is calling on the Welsh government to increase funding for additional learning needs and mental health provision in schools, and to ensure schools have more access to support services, more support for children with ALN and more support from local authorities.
Nicola Fitzpatrick, Wales Secretary of the National Education Union Cymru, said:
“The level of violence and abusive behaviour against our members is an issue. Our members are clear that when it comes to pupil behaviour, schools can’t tackle this by themselves. They need access to support services; more support for children with additional learning needs and more support from local authorities.
“We welcome that, since the Behaviour Summit in May, Welsh government recognised that schools alone can't solve the range of challenges faced by children and are looking to shape future behaviour policy with a key focus on practitioner, learner and parental voice.
“Every employee has the right to feel safe and secure in their place of employment and we look forward to working with the Welsh government in their partnership-based approach to tackling behaviour issues in schools and colleges.”
The text of the motion to conference on this issue was as follows:
Motion 22. Violence against school staff
Conference Cymru acknowledge the growing concerns around pupil behaviour in schools across Wales. While behaviour has always posed challenges for educators, recent years have witnessed an alarming and unprecedented rise in violence and abuse directed at school staff.
Parental engagement has traditionally been a positive force in education. Conference Cymru welcome the support and involvement of parents in their children's education. However, unclear boundaries around this engagement have, in many cases, worsened the situation.
There is an urgent need for appropriate sanctions and clear policies to ensure parental support aligns with the needs and authority of schools. In too many instances, teachers are subjected to unfair disciplinary actions in efforts to placate parental complaints, undermining staff wellbeing and school authority.
A spokesperson from the Department for Education stated: “All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school and should never face violence or abuse.” Sadly, this is not the reality on the ground, and the situation continues to deteriorate.
At the National Education Union’s (NEU) annual conference in Harrogate, a motion addressing violence in schools was passed. It warned of a growing crisis, with some pupils exhibiting behaviour that poses a real danger to staff.
Conference Cymru calls for greater awareness of the root causes behind this rise in violence. These include underfunded additional learning needs (ALN) provision, inadequate mental health support, staff shortages, and a lack of suitable alternative provision and training.
In addition to the rise in physical and verbal abuse against staff, schools are also facing growing behavioural challenges linked to mobile phone misuse and social media. Excessive use of mobile phones has been associated with increased anxiety, reduced concentration, sleep disruption, and negative impacts on school culture. The lack of a consistent, Wales-wide policy on mobile phone use leaves staff vulnerable and undermines efforts to promote safe, respectful learning environments. While the Welsh government currently allows individual headteachers to decide on mobile phone policies, the National Education Union now supports having a national conversation on the banning of mobile phone use during the school day. Such a ban, supported by clear national guidance and embedded digital literacy education, would help reduce distractions, improve pupil wellbeing, and restore authority to school staff.
Conference Cymru therefore call on NEU Cymru via the executive to:
- Campaign for a national strategy to tackle violence against school staff.
- Lobby the Welsh government for increased funding for ALN and mental health provision in schools.
- Support schools in developing clear, consistent behaviour policies that safeguard staff wellbeing.
- Encourage schools to proceed to ballot and take strike action, if necessary, where the Senior Leadership Team are slow to tackle the problem of behaviour.
- Support educational settings to develop a consistent way to record and report verbal, physical and sexual assaults.