A Pupil Support Assistant (PSA) who has worked at schools across Aberdeen has blown the whistle on the extent of violence in our schools.
She has been physically and verbally assaulted repeatedly during her eight years working as a PSA in city schools – both primary and secondary.
The PSA has anxiety attacks on her way to work, having been hospitalised three times, punched, kicked, thrown to the ground, and had her fingers pulled back.
She has been physically attacked by children as young as 10.
She was among scores of PSAs who took to the streets of Aberdeen in March to protest for better protection and support.
With violence in Aberdeen schools getting worse, she spoke exclusively to The P&J in harrowing detail about the level of intimidation she faces on a daily basis.
PSA suffered ‘vicious’ attack at Aberdeen primary school…
“The first violent incident happened in a primary school,” she said. “I was on playground duty.
“The kids were fighting over a football. So I took it away from them. I had the football in my hands, and a child in Primary 6 came up behind me.
“I still don’t know to this day whether it was a punch or they shoulder-barged me. But I ended up in hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder. I had a massive bruise on my shoulder.
“It was vicious. This was a 10 or 11-year-old child.
“When I dropped the ball, the same child kicked the back of my leg so I would fall to the ground.
“Another time at the same school, there was a child that would run constantly, we had to chase after him just to make sure he was safe.
“The child decided he would stop me coming after him, so he kicked me in the ankle. Again, I had to go up to the hospital. It wasn’t broken thankfully.
“I’ve been punched in the arms so many times, punched so that it leaves bruises.
“I’ve had my fingers pulled back to the point that I staved them.”
…and was punched to the ground at city secondary school
This was all at a primary school. The PSA then opened up about her experience in secondary schools.
“I was in science class, helping a child with their work. A child behind us punched me in the back.
“It was a full force punch, and I landed on the ground. The child was S2, so would have been about 13.
“I was off school about a month, went back, and then one day I was in the corridor and a group of kids thought it would be funny to see if they could hit a kid that was in the corridor.
“They missed the kid and punched me in the back. I went down quite forcefully onto my knees.
“I’ve got back issues now. I’ve had to go private because I can’t get anywhere on the NHS.
“They’re not sure if the damage from being punched in the back twice is what’s affecting me now.
“But I’m sure that’s what’s caused it.”
PSA received ‘no support’ from management at Aberdeen schools
She said in the schools where she was physically assaulted, she received no support from management.
“Management were of no use at all. Accident forms were filled in, but nothing was ever done about it.
“I began to realise, ‘I’m not valued’. It’s horrible.”
She added that she’s been verbally assaulted “too many times to count”, with name-calling and intimidation a regular occurrence.
“One school I worked at, the kids would just stand and stare at you, try and see what car you drove.
“Thankfully it never happened to my car, but other teachers and PSAs had their cars targeted. The kids would take a key along the side of the car.”
‘I burst into tears…I thought, ‘I have to get out of this school”
Worn down by years of abuse, the PSA’s mental health suffered, which began to affect her home life.
“One day I came home from work, and my son – he’d have been about S2 – he’d had a really good day at school. He came up to me, he was so excited about something he’d done at school, and he went: ‘Hi mum!’
“I just turned round and screamed: ‘I hate kids!’ And I burst into tears.
“I’d never spoken to my son like that before, and I thought, enough’s enough. I have to get out of this school.
“My stress was through the roof. My mental health wasn’t great.
“I’d get up in the morning and just think, ‘what am I going into?’ Am I going to be verbally assaulted? Am I going to be physically assaulted? Am I going to be able to do my job?’
“The schools were just so violent.”
Parents not to blame, says Aberdeen PSA
When the topic of violence in schools raises its head, as it so often does these days, people can be quick to point the finger of blame at parents.
But the PSA was at pains to point out that parents aren’t the problem.
Rather, she believes it’s the complete lack of discipline in today’s schools which has left teachers and staff with their “hands tied”.
“People want to blame the parents. It’s not the parents, at least it’s not always the parents. I’m not saying every parent is amazing, but as parents we do our best.
“The council has taken away the ability of teachers and heads to discipline children. Staff – and school management – have their hands tied behind their back, they really do.
“We can say to kids, ‘please don’t talk to me like that, I’m not here to be verbally assaulted.’ And they just laugh, and say there’s nothing we can do about it.
‘There’s no discipline. Something needs to change’
“When kids act up in school, there are no consequences. They’re doing all these things, but where are the consequences for children in school? There are none.
“When I was assaulted the last time, when I was punched in the back, there was nothing done to that child. Not a thing. The school didn’t do anything. No taken out of class for a day, no detention, no nothing.
“The council has taken all authority away from us. And the kids know it. That’s something that needs to change.
“Schools need to look at how they’re disciplining children. At the moment, there’s none. There is no discipline.
“Councillors are going on about mobile phones. Yes, taking mobile phones out of schools would make a massive difference. But that’s not the only thing that needs to change.
“I would love a councillor to come into one of these schools and see first-hand what staff have got to put up with.”
Aberdeen PSA says it’s ‘not just children with additional support needs’
She added: “The way I was spoken to by the children was awful, but nothing was ever done.
“The children could say whatever they wanted and they’d get away with it.
“It doesn’t matter what school you’re in, it’s happening all over the city.
“And it’s not just children with additional support needs.
“But the council doesn’t seem to think there’s anything wrong. It doesn’t matter how many times we report stuff, nothing ever happens.
“At what point do we turn around and say: enough’s enough?
“We really don’t get paid enough for what we do. We do the best that we can, but we’re not trained in how to deal with these children.”
‘The violence is getting worse. I’m too old for this’
Despite everything, the PSA said there were some positives in her job. But she said the bad had outweighed the good for a long time now, leaving her “seriously considering” a career change.
“Don’t get me wrong, I have some amazing kids I work with, I really have.
“But too many look down their nose and think they’re better than us because we’re ‘just PSAs’. We’re just trying to help them get an education.
“I’ve done this job for a long time but I’m seriously considering giving it up now.
“The violence is getting worse. The verbal assaults are getting worse.
“I was called a fat bitch last week. I’ve been called a slag, a slut, you name it.
“The past while, I’ve had mini anxiety attacks going in in the morning. You can just feel your mood sinking.
“I’m too old for this, I really am.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said: “The safety of everyone in our schools remains our top priority.
“Education officers met with the EIS, GMB and other trade unions to agree a shared action plan.
“The plan was presented to the education and children’s services committee last month. The council very much appreciates the time being invested in the co-production of the plan.”
Do you know school staff who have suffered similar incidents? Contact us in confidence at schoolsandfamily@pressandjournal.co.uk
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