A DISTURBING picture of violence, foul language and disruptive behaviour in South Yorkshire schools is revealed today in a major survey carried out by a top teaching union.
Members of the NASUWT throughout the Yorkshire and Humber region - 19,500 teachers in primary, secondary and special schools - took part.
All were asked to record their experiences on a day chosen at random during the summer term, providing one of
the most detailed snapshots yet of the realities of classroom life.
The survey builds upon a similar groundbreaking exercise carried out in Sheffield schools three years ago.
In Sheffield schools 28 assaults by pupils on staff were recorded, with 108 examples of pupil-on-pupil assault.
Over 70 per cent of teachers in city secondaries reported swearing by youngsters, with 58 per cent noting verbal abuse. Over 90 per cent said some of their pupils had arrived late for lessons.
In Doncaster secondaries over 85 per cent of teachers reported verbal defiance by pupils, and over 72 per cent non-verbal defiance.
Over 13 per cent of teachers in Sheffield secondaries experienced racial harassment between pupils, the figure in Doncaster being 11 per cent. Examples of sexual harassment were lower, under six per cent.
The survey reveals 14 per cent of Sheffield secondary teachers feel unsafe in their school, while almost half felt their schools' behaviour policies were effective only some of the time.
The union's South Yorkshire executive member Paul Desgranges - a teacher at Sheffield's King Edward VII School - said it was inevitable that headlines would focus on violence and intimidation in the classroom.
"But since the last survey we have seen a significant increase in low level disruption, and if we want to see standards rising and the city moving up the league tables, this is something that needs to be addressed," he said.
"Schools have got to be consistent in their approach to pupil behaviour - some are very effective and some aren't. They need to work together."
Coun Andrew Sangar, Sheffield's Cabinet member for children's services, said it was never acceptable for people to bully, harass or intimidate others.
"We do not tolerate it in our schools. We have a number of specialist staff who work in and with our schools and in communities, to support young people and their families to address the causes of their behaviour and understand the short and long term consequences of their actions, and we are seeing real success," he said.
"Behaviour policies are set in schools by governing bodies and implemented by the headteacher and leadership teams.
"We would encourage parents and carers to find out about their school's behaviour policy and consider how they can back it up at home, so that their child and others in school can concentrate on learning and so achieve their full potential," Coun Sangar added.
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