Behaviour in schools

A summit focused on tackling violence in schools will be convened by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth in the coming weeks.

It will bring together young people, parents and carers, schools, local authorities and unions to discuss how to tackle the problem. This will build on guidance provided to local authorities and on the £2 million of funding to support violence prevention activities within schools and communities.

Education Scotland will also work with every local authority to identify good practice in behaviour and relationships, sharing the findings with schools across the country.

Speaking during a debate in Parliament, Ms Gilruth said:

“I have been in post for two months now, and during that time I have made it absolutely clear that behaviour in schools is one of my top priorities. Children and young people must have every opportunity for successful learning that is unhindered by disruptive behaviour. I also want to make sure that teachers and school staff are working in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment.

“Any form of violence in our schools is completely unacceptable. No teacher or pupil should suffer verbal or physical abuse, and parents should be able to send their children to school knowing that they are safe.

“To that end, I’m looking forward to bringing together young people, parents and carers, schools, local authorities, unions, and campaigners to identify how we tackle the problem of violence and disruption in our schools.”

BACKGROUND

The Scottish Government has issued guidance for teaching staff which focuses on supporting positive behaviour and includes advice on prevention and de-escalation of incidents.

The Scottish Government is also in the process of updating national anti-bullying guidance.

Evidence is also being gathered to help better understand the extent of violence and behaviour at national level through the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research. This research will report by the end of this year.