Knives, claw hammers, knuckle dusters and baseball bats have all been used by pupils in violent attacks against staff in schools across Moray, it can be revealed.
New information released by Moray Council shows in the first half of this year, there have already been 503 attacks against school staff by a pupil.
Last year, 1,142 violent incidents towards staff were recorded, with a further 1,275 occurring in 2023.
The most prominent schools for attacks taking place were at New Elgin, Lhanbryde, and Linkwood.
Figures from the local authority show the worrying list of weapons brought into schools before being used in attacks on teachers.
These include weapons ranging from scissors and knives to BB guns, claw hammers, baseball bats and sharpened rulers.
The exclusion numbers for the most recent year available show only 18 pupils were dismissed in 2023/24 despite more than 1,000 violent attacks on teachers during that period.
Scottish Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, Tim Eagle, said: “There is an epidemic of classroom violence across Scotland, and Moray is no different.
“The breakdown of discipline has been spiralling out of control for years across the country, yet the Scottish Government has done precious little to support teachers, instead passing the buck to local authorities and the police.
“Teachers need to be given additional support to ensure they feel safe to carry out their duties in the classroom but not enough is being given.
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“Across Moray, children deserve to learn in environments free from violence and disruption, and our teachers deserve to be protected from such horrifying incidents.
“The Scottish Government’s priority should be giving every child in Scotland the opportunity to succeed in life and that starts with reducing classroom violence, protecting teacher numbers, and driving up standards to benefit Moray’s future generation.”
