THE number of attacks on teachers in East Renfrewshire’s schools has more than doubled in just two years.

Latest figures show there were 369 attacks in 2018/19 – up by 191 from the 2016/17 total of 178.

Over a three-year period dating back to 2016, almost 800 violent incidents were recorded.

The figures were obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats under Freedom of Information laws, with the party’s education spokeswoman Beatrice Wishart calling on the Scottish Government to do more to protect staff.

She said: “Teachers and pupils are being let down. Nobody should have to go to work with a reasonable expectation that they might be assaulted.”

East Renfrewshire Council said it has a zero-tolerance approach to violence at work.

A spokesman added: “The vast majority of such incidents relate to children and young people with significant additional support needs and, in part, some pupils adapting to an environment previously unfamiliar to them.

“We continue to provide training to support all staff to engage with pupils with challenging behaviour and ensure pupils’ needs are met and their communications understood. Where such incidents do occur, they are thoroughly investigated and, where appropriate, action and changes in approaches for individual children takes place.”

Barrhead’s MSP Tom Arthur said: “Our teachers in East Renfrewshire do an amazing job but nobody should have to suffer abuse at work.

“It’s absolutely essential that, when serious incidents like this do occur, they are dealt with swiftly and firmly.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Government added: “We are supporting a number of programmes to promote positive relationships and tackle indiscipline, abuse and violence.”

Read all the latest from Barrhead and beyond