We continue to receive many complaints about violence and anti-social behaviour in schools and I have raised these issues directly in Parliament with the Government and with local education managers. I have also met with both the teaching and non-teaching unions who are pushing for action to address the pressures in our schools.
In recent months I have tabled questions in Parliament raising concerns about rising incidents of bullying and violence in Fife Schools. I have also called on the Government to bring forward proposals to put more support and resources into schools to support teachers and pupils. But the Scottish Government are failing to offer any meaningful actions to tackle the problems in our schools.
Teachers are at breaking point and the bad behaviour of some is out of control, having a devastating impact on teaching and learning.
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP, responded to my queries stating she was holding a number of summits on behaviour and would bring forward proposals.
On Wednesday (29th Novemeber), Ms Gilruth delivered a statement on the issue of violence in schools setting out what actions the Government would take.
This followed the publication of a report earlier in the week that highlighted a significant rise in levels of violence across Scottish schools with more pupils and teachers having to deal with physical violence as well as sexist and verbal abuse.
Ms Gilruth said the Scottish Government will provide £900,000 for training school staff across Scotland in response to the new challenges as well as come forward with a new “national plan for action”.
In response to the Government statement, I challenged the Education Secretary stating the Government “fails to understand the pressure that staff are working under and fails to recognise the wider consequences for the majority of bad behaviour by a few.”
Teachers up and down Scotland will be dismayed that point one of a five-point plan is to make a plan. How many plans will it take for teachers to get the support that they need? Does the Cabinet Secretary not recognise that the Government will have to commit far more resources to addressing the challenges in our schools?”
I have never been so disappointed by a response from Government to such a major issue. I have talked to hundreds of Fife teachers over this year, met pupils and parents, met with teaching and non-teaching unions, and the message from all has been clear: behaviour in many of our schools has declined at a rapid pace and is having a devastating impact on the wellbeing of education, teaching and learning.
The numbers of pupils with additional support needs in mainstream schools continues to grow whilst the numbers of support teachers fall. The number of incidents of violent and bad behaviour being reported continues to grow – with some schools much worse than others.
The idea that a bit of training for staff on how to deal with the growing issues is just nonsensical and indeed an insult to all those on the frontline in our schools. I will continue to make the case for greater resources to provide more learning support workers, more teachers as well as a review of behavioural polices, exclusion policies and the role of management in the schools and in the education authority.
We must make clear that in schools there will be a zero tolerance of violence and bad behaviour which disrupts education for all. There also needs to be a review of phone usage, as in a number of schools I am told some pupils sit on their phones most of the day.
I have always believed that the best gift society can give any child is a good education but right now, in Fife and across Scotland, education is going backwards as a result of spiralling bad behaviour by a minority with devastating impacts on the majority.
Link to Scottish Government Statement: https://www.gov.scot/publications/behaviour-scottish-schools-research-education-secretary-statement/
Link to Behaviour in Scottish Schools report: https://www.gov.scot/publications/behaviour-scottish-schools-research-report-2023/
