A summit focused on tackling violence in schools will be convened
by Education Secretary 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.
