FOI Request - Physical Attacks Within Schools
Request 101003961254
1. How many reported attacks have there been on school staff/assistants in the following school years – 20-21 / 22-23/ 23-24/24-25/25/26
2. How many incidents (in the following school years – 20-21 / 22-23/ 23-24/24-25/25/26) have involved kicking and/or punching?
3. How many incidents (in the following school years – 20-21 / 22-23/ 23-24/24-25/25/26) have involved biting and/or spitting?
4. How many incidents (in the following school years – 20-21 / 22-23/ 23-24/24-25/25/26) involved a weapon? – be that conventional or improvised (ie. table, chair, ruler etc)
5. How many incidents (in the following school years – 20-21 / 22-23/ 23-24/24-25/25/26) saw exclusion or expulsion?
6. How many school staff/assistants have been put on sick leave (in the following school years – 20-21 / 22-23/ 23-24/24-25/25/26) due to stress at work?
Response 09-04-2026
1. 2020/21 - 838 (PRIMARY 782 / SECONDARY 56)
2021/22 - 1460 (PRIMARY 1304 / SECONDARY 156)
2022/23 - 2745 (PRIMARY 2447 / SECONDARY 298)
2023/24 - 3096 (PRIMARY 2528 / SECONDARY 568)
2024/25 - 3269 (PRIMARY 2754 / SECONDARY 515)
2025/26 - 2143 (PRIMARY 1738 / SECONDARY 405)
2. & 3. We would have to read though thousands of incident report forms to get this information. This task would cost the Council in excess of £600 of staff time. In accordance with section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (excessive cost), we are therefore unable to comply with this part of the request.
4. 2020/21 - 112 (PRIMARY 107 / SECONDARY <5*)
2021/22 - 309 (PRIMARY 295 / SECONDARY 14)
2022/23 - 559 (PRIMARY 535 / SECONDARY 24)
2023/24 - 559 (PRIMARY 533 / SECONDARY 26)
2024/25 - 453 (PRIMARY 430 / SECONDARY 23)
2025/26 - 403 (PRIMARY 383 / SECONDARY 20)
* Numbers of 5 or less have been redacted as low numbers may lead to the identification of individuals. This information is therefore exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Personal Information
5. 2020/21 - 59 (PRIMARY 17 / SECONDARY 42)
2021/22 - 63 (PRIMARY <5* / SECONDARY 58)
2022/23 - 95 (PRIMARY 16 / SECONDARY 79)
2023/24 - 111 (PRIMARY 35 / SECONDARY 76)
2024/25 - 101 (PRIMARY 47 / SECONDARY 54)
2025/26 - 106 (PRIMARY 51 / SECONDARY 55)
* Numbers of 5 or less have been redacted as low numbers may lead to the identification of individuals. This information is therefore exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Personal Information
6. Not held. Our system records Stress, Anxiety and Depression but does not differentiate between work related and non-work related. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.