Teacher who faced knife incident warns of declining classroom behaviour

A teacher, who experienced a pupil pulling a knife on him, asserts that classroom conduct has deteriorated to its worst level in his 20 years of teaching. This comes as the NASUWT teaching union reports that some of its members are apprehensive about attending work due to a “serious increase” in poor learning behaviour in recent years. Concurrently, the latest annual figures indicate that school exclusions in Wales have reached record levels across all measures. The Welsh government has stated that any form of violence or abuse against staff or pupils is “completely unacceptable” and confirmed it is examining proposals aimed at improving behaviour. “Behaviour has disintegrated over the last 20 years, you get verbally abused on a daily basis,” Steve Mitchell told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. He added, “I’ve had a knife pulled on me in one class, I’ve had youngsters ignore me entirely.” According to school census figures for the 2022-23 academic year, there were over thirty thousand fixed-term exclusions, defined as lasting less than five days. The primary reasons cited were verbal abuse, threats to staff, and persistent disruptive behaviour, with the highest rates recorded in Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, and Denbighshire. Figures also showed significantly higher exclusion rates for pupils with additional learning needs, including those diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. Mr. Mitchell attributed the issue to inadequate funding and a scarcity of specialist schools, noting that pupils with additional learning needs are being placed in mainstream schools, which causes disruption to other learners. He also linked some of the negative attitudes to the Covid-19 pandemic, suggesting that children were reluctant to return to structured environments, leading to a change in standards. “The children have lost a lot of their socialising skills. They don’t want to be there, this is a hard battle,” he said. Parents also play a role in the disorder, Mr. Mitchell added. “You’re fighting on two fronts – kids and parents.” He also observed, “Teachers are leaving the profession and not being replaced.” The NASUWT union reported that some of its members encounter “verbal abuse, violence and aggression” from pupils. Sion Amlyn, the union’s policy officer, stated that the figures were not surprising, adding: “Our members are naturally worried about going into their work and thinking about what’s going to happen.” He emphasized, “That’s not what should happen. You should be allowed to go to work, do an honest day’s work, and come home to your family without any horrible incidents having happened.” The Welsh government reiterated that any form of violence or abuse against staff or pupils is “completely unacceptable” and that bans should only be used as a “last resort.” It affirmed, “Schools should be safe places for learners and staff and all education settings in Wales have a legal duty to provide a safe learning environment.” The government further stated, “We are working with partners to develop proposals to improve behaviour, including possibly holding a summit next year.” Additional reporting by Ben Dain-Smith. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.