Theresa May has said that the government needs to look at the issue of teachers suffering violent attacks by pupils and parents.

Her comments came on the day that the government unveiled its NHS Violence Reduction Strategy, which health secretary Matt Hancock said would herald a “zero tolerance” approach to violence against NHS staff.

Gillian Keegan, the Conservative MP for Chichester, raised the issue of violence against teachers during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons this afternoon.

She told the prime minister: “During a recent meeting with primary school heads in Chichester, I was shocked to discover that every single one of them had been subject to violent attacks by pupils or parents.”

Ms Keegan highlighted today’s NHS strategy, and asked the prime minister to consider “what else we can do to protect our teachers in the valuable work that they do”.

Ms May replied that she was “certainly happy to look at the issue”.

The prime minister said she had come across cases in which teachers had suffered “considerable bullying and harassment” on social media as well, and added: “I think this is an issue that we do need to look at.”

Meanwhile, news emerged today of a group of 11 teachers in Edinburgh who have been sent home and had their pay stopped, after they refused to teach or supervise eight pupils who they claimed posed a health, safety and welfare risk.

In March, it emerged that secondary school staff were three times more likely to face violence at work than the average UK worker.