New education officer to tackle school violence

A SHARP rise in violence and aggressive behaviour in schools – linked directly to the Covid-19 pandemic – has prompted action by education chiefs.

Dumfries and Galloway Council is set to spend more than £80,000 in creating a new senior education role that is dedicated to supporting schools and addressing unruly behaviour.

The council has been allocated a total of £718,000 from the Scottish Government for additional support for learning needs, of which nearly 12 percent will be invested in this ‘supporting learners’ job.

The issue will be discussed by councillors at Dumfries and Galloway Council’s education committee next Tuesday.

A report by Hew Smith, the council’s integration and inclusion manager, will be tabled at the meeting. It reads: “Being out of school and early years settings during the pandemic has had a profound developmental impact on our children and young people.

“It has changed the type of learning we see in our settings, and it has altered relationships between settings, school and home, which are usually built over time and with consistent expectations.

“This guidance is therefore designed to support schools to reinforce approaches to promoting positive relationships and behaviour that take account of the wider needs of all children and young people.’

“To support schools in the effective management of behaviour through the promotion of positive relationships, £83,465 of the £718,000 funding will be allocated to the fund the principal teacher supporting learners, who is leading the local response to behaviour in schools.

“This role delivers direct support to schools to implement strategies that best support young people and offers a range of targeted training opportunities for staff, including our positive handling programme Team Teach.

“The post also leads the development of policy and guidance in this area, working closely with schools, staff and the trade unions.”

According to the council report, there has been a “significant rise in local incidents of violent and aggressive behaviour” in schools both locally and nationally.