Pupils at primary schools in Dumbarton and the Vale have been excluded for physical assaults on staff, threatening other pupils with weapons and malicious communications offences.
The new findings, published following a freedom of information request (FOI) by the Lennox to West Dunbartonshire Council, showed that more than 112 pupils have been excluded from schools in Dumbarton and the Vale since the start of the 2021 school term.
Union chiefs have said staff are “demoralised by the lack of action to protect them from serious harm”, whilst Dumbarton’s MSP says it highlights the need for greater mental health support for young people.
At primary schools, reasons for exclusion included physical assaults against staff and other students, threats against pupils and staff with a weapon or improvised weapon, and malicious communications against both staff and pupils.
The same issues were also prevalent at secondary schools, with further reasons given included fire raising, assaults using a weapon against fellow pupils and staff and substance misuse.
A total of 112 pupils have been excluded from the area’s three secondary schools, with more students also excluded from primary schools - but these figures were redacted by West Dunbartonshire Council to preserve anonymity as the figure was under five.
The newly released data shows that 34 pupils were excluded from Our Lady and St Patrick’s High in 2021-22, and a further 17 excluded in 2022-23 until the end of December.
Meanwhile, 24 pupils at Dumbarton Academy were excluded in the 2021-22 academic term, with a further 16 excluded in the 2022-23 term up until the Christmas holidays.
The figures were far lower at Vale of Leven Academy, with 16 pupils excluded in 2021-22 and a further five excluded prior to the Christmas break.
Students were also excluded at Balloch Primary, Christie Park Primary, Dalreoch Primary, St Kessog’s Primary and St Michael’s Primary during this period.
Jim Halfpenny of West Dunbartonshire EIS said: “It goes without saying that, for the sake of their education and their life chances, no one wishes to exclude pupils from school. However, it is clear from these figures that the number of exclusions continues apace. A trend which reflects the increasing physical and verbal violence and aggression towards staff and pupils in our schools.
“While West Dunbartonshire Council figures indicate that between August and December 2022 there were 38 pupil exclusions, the figure for physical and verbal violence, aggression, fright and shock on staff and pupils reported between October and December 2022, for the schools that you have identified, is 87.
“This, we have consistently argued is a substantial under estimation of the problem.
“Staff increasingly see this type of behaviour as the norm and are exasperated and demoralised by the lack of action by the council to protect them from serious harm.
“Poverty plays a significant part in a child’s response to perceived problems inside and outside school and exclusion will, more often than not, compound those problems.
“The recent savage cuts budget agreed by the Labour administration in West Dunbartonshire Council will exacerbate these problems.
“However, the council has a duty to protect the health and safety of its employees and pupils in a school.
“Rather than making these drastic cuts, the council needs to ensure sufficient funding for additional support wherever this is needed, additional staffing for in-school behaviour bases and units, provision of additional offsite behaviour facilities and a reduction in class sizes in all schools to support better behaviour in the classroom.”
Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton MSP, said: “Discipline in schools remains a huge concern for both parents and teachers.
“In an ideal world, no pupil would be excluded but the interests of the rest of the school community needs to be considered. Each case has to be judged on its individual merits.
“My priority is the safety of pupils and teachers but those who are facing difficulties in school also need to be afforded the proper support.
“With young people stuck on CAMHS waiting lists desperate for treatment, the SNP government is failing this generation who need our help.”
A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “We are committed to promoting positive behaviours in all West Dunbartonshire schools in order to provide a safe and nurturing environment for both pupils and staff. Our experienced teams work hard to ensure there is appropriate in-school support available to meet individual pupils’ needs without time away from learning.”
