Council responds to troubling rise in school violence

Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Council chiefs have assured councillors that they are doing everything they can to clamp down on several violent incidents happening in schools.

The figures for violent incidents in schools were part of an annual report on Health and Safety for 2024/2025 which came in front of Blaenau Gwent County Borough councillors at a meeting of Corporate Governance and Resources scrutiny committee on Thursday, December 18.

The overall figures for “incidents of violence and aggression” against employees which is 179 for 2024/2025 is down from 218 for 2023/2024 but still way above the 98 incidents recorded in 2022/2023.

The breakdown shows that 172 of the 179 incidents took place in schools – which is down from last year’s 200 or 218.

Further analysis of the figures show that 80 per cent of the 172 incidents took place either in special education needs schools (SEN) or in SEN settings within mainstream schools.

Cllr Lisa Winnett (Labour – Blaina) said: “It’s disappointing to see what’s happening in our schools with the violence.

“It’s the biggest worry in this report.”

Interim Business Support Service Manager Sherelle Jago said: “We’re doing everything we can to make sure there are proper systems and mechanisms in place so that we can identify what is happening in schools and we can mitigate additional support that’s required around that.

“We have an additional group that meets on a monthly basis with our health and safety advisors, schools and Education department to regularly analyse what’s going on.

“Unfortunately, it’s the situation we’ve got and it’s no different in other local authorities.”

Cllr Winnett asked whether the monthly meeting group passed on information to Social Services, Gwent Police and the Community Safety?

Cllr Winnett said: “On some occasions they need to be involved because some of these children are presenting similar behaviour in the community.”

Early intervention could “nip” these issues “in the bud,” said Cllr Winnett.

Health and Safety advisor Jim Thomas explained that there are “multi-agency responses” to discuss particular cases and sometimes the figures were down to “one particular pupil.”

School inclusion team leader Julie Sambrook added that “referrals are made immediately” when needed.

Committee Chairwoman Cllr Joanna Wilkins (Independent group – Cwmtillery) asked: “We get the annual Health and Safety report as a whole and pick out bits.

“And the bits that have been picked out relates to schools – does this (report) go to the Children Young People and Families scrutiny committee for monitoring?”

Ms Jago explained that information is monitored by the Corporate Health and Safety group which is made up of council senior staff, health and safety advisors and trade union representatives.

“Any information is fed back to the necessary departments if any action is required to be taken, “said Ms Jago.

Cllr Wilkins asked councillors whether an annual report was enough to monitor the issues effectively?

Cllr Winnett said: “Anything significant or serious such as a massive spike in trend should be brought back before us.”

The committee then went to a vote and approved the report.