Schools are not as safe as they should be, Scotland’s biggest teaching union has warned as it revealed that last year teachers received over £220,000 in compensation after being assaulted by pupils at work.

Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the EIS, said that in the past personal injury settlements for teachers concluded by the union related mainly to slips, trips and falls in the workplace.

However, in 2023 more than 40 per cent of settlements secured by the EIS related to teachers being assaulted in the workplace.

The biggest single settlement involving an assault amounted to £180,000.

There was also an award of almost £28,500 for a teacher who was assaulted on three separate occasions, and three smaller settlements for teachers who were: punched in the face by a pupil resulting in a hairline fracture to the jaw, headbutted, and assaulted while trying to break up a fight between pupils.

Ms Bradley said: “Worryingly, as the rise in violent incidents in recent years can attest, our schools are currently not as safe as they should be for staff and pupils.”

• Background: Serious disruptive behaviour rising in Scottish schools
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The news of the payouts follows government research, published in November, showing that behaviour in schools is deteriorating, with physical aggression and violence more often experienced in primary than in secondary schools.

In 2016 3 per cent of primary teachers reported incidents of physical violence in the classroom at least once per week. In 2023 that figure had risen to 12 per cent.

Violence against teachers

Ms Bradley called for the Scottish government and councils to “take urgent action to make our schools properly safe”.

She said more resources were needed, including additional staffing, to allow schools to better meet the needs of all young people, including those who are more likely to exhibit distressed and violent behaviour.

She added: “Local authorities and the Scottish government must work together to deliver safer schools, so that school staff can work without fear of physical harm for any reason and so that all young people can learn in a safe, secure and nurturing environment.”

Overall last year the EIS secured £541,499 in personal injury settlements relating to 12 incidents for members.

The other incidents related to accidents at work (six cases) and a health condition triggered by “exposure to various substances in the course of their employment”.

The biggest accident claim involved a slip in a car park, which resulted in a broken ankle and £135,000 in compensation.

A spokesperson for councils’ umbrella body Cosla said councils take the issue of safety in schools extremely seriously, and are clear that safety and wellbeing are of paramount importance. He said all councils would have reporting mechanisms for incidents and had recognised the recent findings from Education Scotland’s thematic inspection on bullying.

However, the Cosla spokesperson added: “The Scottish Budget in its current form could result in councils having to make cuts in these important services and an inevitable shift to providing statutory services only, which is not the preventative approach we need to support children to thrive.”

In November education secretary Jenny Gilruth set out a five-point plan for tackling poor behaviour in schools. It included funding for staff training and more accurate reporting of incidents.

However, this plan was criticised by opposition politicians because it amounted to just £28,000 per local authority.