SNP urged to rethink mainstream education policy after 'badge of shame' violence surge

SNP ministers have been warned a surge in violence against female teachers is a "badge of shame" for Scotland amid pressure on the Education Secretary to reconsider mainstreaming and examine tailored support for pupils with additional support needs.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth told MSPs that while she remains supportive of a presumption of children with additional support needs (ASN) remaining in mainstream education, she acknowledged there was a “need to look at how that is resourced on the ground”.

Concerns have been raised about a surge in violence in schools against female teachers

The admission comes after a report by the NASUWT teaching union found 49 per cent of female teachers reported physical abuse or violence in the past 12 months, compared to 36 per cent of their male counterparts.

The union’s behaviour in schools survey also found more than a quarter of female teachers reported being hit or punched in the last year – more than double the rate of male teachers at 13 per cent.

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A fifth of female teachers reported being kicked, compared to 8 per cent of male teachers, while 37 per cent of female teachers reported being shoved or barged by a pupil – as did 33 per cent of male teachers.

A total of 12 per cent female teachers said they had been spat at, compared to 4 per cent of male teachers. The study found 18 per cent of female teachers had experienced physical violence several times a week in the past year, compared to 6 per cent of male teachers.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Speaking in Holyrood on Tuesday, Ms Gilruth stressed “violence of abusive behaviour in our schools is completely unacceptable”. She said: “We want our schools to be safe and consistent learning environments for all.

“The horrifying increase in violence toward women is a broader societal challenge, which will only be resolved when men and boys change their behaviour.”

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But Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith warned that despite actions taken by the Scottish Government to address the issue, “quite frankly, virtually nothing seems to be working”.

Ms Smith said: “The incidents of physical abuse against teachers is quite rightly a badge of shame for Scotland.

Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith Photo by PA.

“Is it not time for radical interventions, including a review of the principle of mainstreaming, which is all very well in theory, but which in practice is undermining discipline in far too many classrooms?”

In response, Ms Gilruth insisted she “very much recognised the scale of the challenge”, adding there had been “global shifts in relation to behaviour and relationships in our schools”.

The Education Secretary told MSPs that a presumption of mainstreaming for pupils with additional support needs was “still a policy I would support”.

She said: “I think in the chamber there is still broad-based support for the policy - although I hear the challenge.

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“I think more broadly, as we approach the 2026 election, all parties will have to reflect on the policy approaches we take on this space in terms of additional support needs.

“Whilst I'm not going to stand against the presumption of mainstreaming because I think it's important, I do think we need to look at how that is resourced on the ground.”

The policy of a presumption in favour of mainstream education was introduced in 2000. But the NASUWT union has previously warned the policy “masquerading as inclusion is not working and is letting children down and setting their teachers up to fail”.

The union has claimed that a varying picture across the country means “children with ASN are not uniformly receiving the care and help they deserve”.