Teachers 'in eye of perfect storm', SNP Education Secretary warned
An open letter to Jenny Gilruth said the situation in schools is ‘beyond critical’
Teachers are “in the eye of a perfect storm” and morale and mental health is at an all-time low, the SNP Education Secretary has been warned.
An open letter to Jenny Gilruth, signed by 22 former teachers, classroom assistants and school volunteers in the Scottish Borders, raised concerns about “rising levels of indiscipline” and pupil violence.
It said the situation is now “beyond critical” and called for significant changes to “reduce sustained stress levels among staff and prevent serious injury to staff or pupils”.
A spokesperson said Ms Gilruth “would be happy to meet with the local council leader to learn more about the concerns raised in this correspondence”.
Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Miles Briggs said: “Teaching staff are being badly let down because of the SNP’s soft-touch approach to school discipline.
“Headteachers know what is best for their schools, not politicians. But failure to empower them means that far too many school staff fear being assaulted in the workplace.”
The open letter references recent reporting in The Scotsman that more than 5000 violent attacks have required teaching staff to seek medical treatment over the past five years, with more than 200 going to hospital.
Data shows 700 instances of teachers requiring to take time off work due to pupil violence resulting in injury. Scottish Borders reported a loss of 1,713 days.
“Teacher morale and mental health across the SBC [Scottish Borders Council] area is at an all-time low, with many ready to leave the profession and most classroom assistants already gone after funding was stopped,” the letter says.
“Teachers often feel unsupported by their education authority, which they believe sides with the parents of disruptive pupils or with the pupils themselves.”
The letter argues schools do not have the capacity to deal effectively with “the growing number of pupils with autism spectrum disorder and additional support needs”.
It adds: “The worrying conclusion is that our education system is now in the eye of a perfect storm, driven in part by severe financial constraints.”
The letter says discipline and consequences “must be restored, with parents of challenging children more directly involved in addressing behaviour”.
It concludes: “Too many good teachers are being thrown under the SBC / Holyrood bus and our children are being catastrophically failed, so something drastic has to happen... and soon.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: "Most pupils are well behaved, including those with additional support needs (ASN), research shows. Ministers are clear, however, there is no place for violence in Scotland's schools and any abuse directed towards teachers is completely unacceptable.
“In Scotland, it is our local authorities who carry the statutory responsibility to deliver education and are expected to implement the national guidance in areas like behaviour, which was developed in collaboration with councils. The Education Secretary would be happy to meet with the local council leader to learn more about the concerns raised in this correspondence.
“The Scottish government is also investing a further £28 million this year to support the ASN workforce, in addition to record spend of over £1 billion by local authorities on ASN in 2024-25.
“The Education Secretary published a review [last] week into ASN provision, with recommendations aimed at ensuring young people’s evolving needs continue to be met.”
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