Union calls for action after teachers hospitalised at Johnstone High School

Teachers need "strong" action from the Scottish government over violent behaviour in schools, a union says.

It comes after three teachers and a 14-year-old were hurt in an incident at Johnstone High School in Renfrewshire.

NASUWT urged Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth to commit time and resources to help schools tackle the problem.

Ms Gilruth told the union's conference in Aberdeen that such events were "outwith the norm", but acknowledged that pupils and staff needed support.

Police were called to Johnstone High School at about 10:45 on Friday after a former pupil entered the building.

Three female teachers aged 59, 48 and 34 were taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley with minor injuries. A 14-year-old pupil also suffered minor injuries.

Police said a 16-year-old girl had been charged and would be reported to the Scottish Children's Reporter.

Mike Corbett, The NASUWT's Scottish official, told BBC Scotland the incident had sent shockwaves around teachers at the conference.

He said: "A number were clearly triggered and had individually suffered something similar and had struggled with it.

"But more generally it reflects statistics that show an increase of verbal abuse, swearing at teachers, serious incidents of threatening or violent behaviour."

He said the top two balloted motions at the conference both related to pupil behaviour and violence.

He added: "Management in schools need to give better support to teachers when they have suffered an incident of violence or a threat.

"There's a patchy picture - some schools are very good, but far too many are not.

"The government needs to do strong messaging and say it understands behaviour has got worse, and it is willing to commit time and resources to help schools address that."

Mr Corbett said that it was a positive sign that the education secretary, who attended the conference on Saturday, acknowledged that there was a problem.

Ms Gilruth, a former teacher, said the ongoing cost of living crisis and the toll of the pandemic has impacted on children and young people.

"The graphic videos that we've seen in the press in recent times are completely unacceptable," she told delegates.

"But we need to recognise that our schools are dealing with real challenges at the current time.

"There is no place for that type of behaviour in our schools."

Ms Gilruth said there had been a "huge increase" in young people with additional support needs, adding: "I want to work with you on how we can better support staff wellbeing but also meet the needs of our pupils.

"I expect there to be policies in place in every school in Scotland to help support our pupils and support you, our staff."

Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS, has previously said it has received reports of rising numbers of violent incidents in schools.

Several social media videos of fights between pupils have also been highlighted in the media.

In November, teachers at Bannerman High in Glasgow announced 12 days of strike action over violent and abusive pupil behaviour.

The following month, teachers at a school in Aberdeen also voted in favour of industrial action over pupil violence against staff.