Violence in schools: More than 44,000 incidents reported in a year
Alex Cole-Hamilton raised the issue of violence in schools at First Minister’s Questions
The level of violence in Scottish schools is a “bomb already going off” with more than 44,000 incidents recorded in the past year.
Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, asked John Swinney for further action from the government to tackle the rising issue.
New figures secured by the Lib Dem show more than 44,000 violent incidents were recorded in primary and secondary schools last year.
At First Minister’s Questions he said: “This week, Scotland’s schools break up for the October holidays, and many teachers will be at their wits’ end.
“New Scottish Liberal Democrat research, published today, shows that there were over 44,000 violent incidents in our schools last year.
“In primary schools, it’s the worst it’s ever been.
“In Fife, violence in those schools has more than quadrupled since 2018.
“So, what does the First Minister have to say to those teachers, and pupils, going back to school in a couple of weeks’ time, some of whom will be absolutely petrified of what awaits them?”
Scottish Liberal Democrats asked every local authority how many violent incidents had been reported in primary and secondary schools in 2025/26.
The figures show that across Scottish local authorities there were 44,221 violent incidents reported in schools last year.
This included 38,815 violent incidents in primary schools, higher than any of the previous years on record.
It also included 5,406 violent incidents in secondary schools.
Police recorded knives in schools 127 times last year alone.
Mr Cole-Hamtilon added: “The EIS have said safety in our schools is, ‘the ticking time bomb in Scottish education, that is just waiting to go boom.’ I fear that is already happening.
“Pupils are struggling, teachers are struggling, which is why they need: more classroom assistants, more behavioural experts in schools, and more access to youth work.
“Liberal Democrats have been talking about rising levels of violence in our schools for years, we’ve offered solutions, yet still this is getting worse.
“Can’t the First Minister see that what he's doing just isn’t working?”
In response, the First Minister said: “Poor behaviour and violent behaviour is not to be tolerated in our schools, and we have to address that by the various mechanisms that we take forward to intervene.
“The government regularly engages with our local authority partners, with the teaching trade unions, to devise behaviour codes for our schools and to make sure they are applied.
“Those are the steps the government is taking to ensure that is the case and to ensure that the resources are in place to implement them.
“There is a variety of different interventions that the government takes, and we will continue to work with our local authority partners to make sure they are applied in the schools of Scotland.”
Mr Swinney also pointed to the current consultation underway to consider banning phones in Scottish schools.
He also referenced £29 million pounds allocated to increase the number of pupil support staff in schools and behaviour codes that have been put in place.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.