Cumbrian School Staff Assaults ‘Hardly Surprising’ Amid Years Of Cutbacks Says Ex Headteacher.
An ex Cumbrian headteacher has described attacks on school staff as “hardly surprising”, following the release of figures showing that pupils assaulted school employees 16 times across Westmorland and Furness during the past two academic years.
The figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service to Westmorland and Furness Council. The information revealed that school employees experienced a range of violent incidents, including being kicked, bitten, scratched, punched and headbutted. One incident also involved a member of staff suffering a head injury after a pupil forcibly released a door during a behavioural incident.
The figures cover the 2024 to 2025 and 2025 to 2026 academic years. There were 11 reported incidents during 2024 to 2025, followed by five incidents during 2025 to 2026. Although the number of recorded incidents fell by more than half in the latest academic year, concerns remain about the circumstances behind the figures and whether all incidents are being formally reported. Chris Brooksbank, a former Cumbrian headteacher and National Education Union caseworker, said the reduction was welcome but stressed that even one assault against a member of school staff was too many.
He argued that years of financial pressure and increasing demands placed on schools had contributed to an environment where staff were being expected to manage difficult situations with fewer resources. Brooksbank said that children and young people are facing increasing pressure, and suggested that schools need sufficient resources to support pupils who display challenging or distressed behaviour. He also raised concerns that the available figures could represent only a proportion of the incidents actually taking place.
According to Brooksbank, assaults may be significantly under reported, particularly in situations involving pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. The figures obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service do not identify individual schools or distinguish between teachers and other school employees. The council explained that its records cover school employees generally rather than teachers specifically.
The reported incidents included a pupil attempting to strike a member of staff and causing an injury, a headbutt that resulted in injury, scratching that broke the skin, repeated kicking and an incident involving a pupil striking a member of staff in the face. In another case, a pupil bit a staff member's leg, while a separate incident involved two members of staff being kicked, hit and punched during a behavioural incident.
The incidents recorded during the 2025 to 2026 academic year included repeated kicking over a three day period, an assault involving a member of staff being struck in the face, and another incident in which a staff member was scratched, punched and kicked. The council said it takes violence against staff and pupils seriously and works closely with schools across the area.
Westmorland and Furness Council also said it was proud of its inclusive education system and the commitment of school staff and leaders. The authority said it provides schools with development opportunities around trauma informed approaches and has introduced an inclusion toolkit. It also recently held a belonging and inclusion conference.
For school staff, however, the issue goes beyond the number of recorded incidents. Teachers and other employees working with children can face challenging behaviour as part of their daily responsibilities, particularly when supporting pupils who have complex emotional, behavioural or additional needs.
Brooksbank has called for more support and training for school staff, alongside better reporting and monitoring of incidents. He also stressed that schools have legal responsibilities towards employees who are assaulted in the workplace. Staff should expect incidents to be recorded and appropriate support to be provided.
The former headteacher said that if a member of staff is assaulted and their school does not respond appropriately, they should consider contacting their trade union for advice and support. The figures have prompted wider discussion about the pressures facing schools and whether enough resources are available to support both pupils and staff.
While the number of recorded assaults decreased from 11 to five between the two academic years, education representatives say the figures should not be viewed in isolation. The priority remains ensuring that schools are safe environments for pupils and staff alike, while providing appropriate support for children whose behaviour may be linked to trauma, additional needs or other underlying difficulties.
The latest figures have therefore renewed calls for greater investment in education and children's services, with advocates arguing that early support could help prevent difficult situations from escalating into violence. For school employees who face challenging behaviour, adequate training, clear reporting procedures and access to support can be essential.
The debate is now likely to continue over how schools, councils and education authorities can provide the resources needed to protect staff while ensuring vulnerable pupils receive the help they require. The reduction in reported incidents is a positive development, but campaigners and education professionals continue to argue that one assault in a school is one too many.
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