SCHOOL bosses have revealed an astonishing fivefold increase in the number of primary pupils attacking teachers.
Children aged four to 11 were responsible for 205 attacks on teaching staff in the Scottish Borders last year – more than one for every day of the school year.
But the figure for the previous year was 45 and the year before that it was 30.
Primary children were responsible for 84% of attacks on all teachers in the region’s 63 school in 2011/12. High school pupils in the Scottish Borders were responsible for 39 attacks on teachers.
The figures of were revealed in a Freedom of Information request that requested the number of cases of verbal and physical abuse in the region over the last three years.
Conservative Borders MSP John Lamont said: “It is important we crack down on these assaults as soon as possible and teach young people that these incidents are totally unacceptable.
“There is no room for physical or verbal abuse in any of our schools and teachers deserve to have a safe and friendly environment in which to work.”
The council said the spike was due to a new way of recording incidents.
Councillor Sandy Aitchison, the executive member for education, said: “We knew this would result in an increase in recorded incidents however no teacher should have to suffer any form of abuse.
“We are however not complacent and we know that constant monitoring is important to identify where the problems arise.”
