Teachers, early years practitioners, classroom assistants, and education support staff across Scotland are facing rising levels of verbal abuse, threats, and physical violence while carrying out their professional duties.

Between the 2019–2020 and 2024–2025 academic years, 5,222 violent incidents against teachers requiring medical assistance were reported across Scotland. The true figure is likely significantly higher, as several local authorities were unable to provide complete data in response to Freedom of Information requests.

Education staff have suffered serious injuries including fractures, concussion, and loss of consciousness. These incidents are not isolated events but form part of an escalating national safeguarding issue affecting staff wellbeing, pupil learning, and workforce sustainability.

Financial Cost to Public Services

Violence in schools is also creating substantial financial pressures on the education system and local authorities.

• Scottish councils have paid at least £878,000–£1 million in compensation to school staff injured through violent incidents over the past five years. 
• Individual injury settlements have reached £43,000, with one severely injured teacher receiving £180,000 compensation following an assault.
• Teacher sickness absence linked to workplace stress and violence has resulted in hundreds of thousands of lost working days, contributing to major spending on replacement staff.
• Local authorities are facing significant additional costs covering staff absence; for example, Moray Council alone reported up to £3 million spent on supply teachers linked to sickness absence pressures.

These costs represent public funds diverted away from classroom learning and early intervention support.

Impact on Education

No education worker should expect to be kicked, punched, threatened, or injured at work.

Violence against school staff:

• Damages staff physical and mental wellbeing
• Disrupts teaching and learning
• Increases staff absence
• Contributes to recruitment and retention shortages across Scottish education

Safe learning environments depend on safe working environments.

Action Requested

We call upon the Government and local authorities to take urgent national action to protect education staff by:

1. Introducing a national zero-tolerance approach to violence against education staff
2. Ensuring all violent incidents are formally recorded, investigated, and reported consistently across Scotland
3. Providing increased staffing levels and specialist provision for pupils with additional support needs
4. Guaranteeing mandatory risk assessments and post-incident support for affected staff
5. Publishing transparent national data on violence, staff injuries, and associated financial costs

Statement

Supporting children and protecting staff are not competing priorities. Both are essential to delivering safe, inclusive, and effective schools. Violence must never be accepted as part of the job. We therefore call on the Government to introduce stronger national protections to safeguard education staff and ensure schools remain safe places to work and to learn.