University of the West of Scotland to study rise of violent behaviour in Scottish schools

A university is set to study the rise of violent and aggressive behaviour in Scottish schools.

The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) will study the causes of violent and aggressive behaviour in Scottish schools and early learning and childcare settings.

The UWS said it addresses “a critical issue” affecting teachers, children, and families across Scotland.

It comes as more than 80% of schools experience violent and aggressive incidents on a weekly basis.

Funded by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the £29,000 project will run from November 2025 until May 2026.

Andrea Bradley, EIS general secretary, said: “The significant rise in the number of incidents involving violent and aggressive behaviour in our schools in recent years, a large proportion of which is prejudice-based, is deeply troubling.

“No teacher should be exposed to the threat of verbal abuse or physical assault during their work; and no pupil’s safety or sense of security and belonging should be undermined by such behaviours by pupils towards school staff or their peers.

“It is essential that we can have an understanding of the issues facing young people and the potential drivers of such challenging behaviour in the classrooms, corridors and playgrounds of our schools, so that we can continue working to try to ensure that all schools are safe places to work and to learn, for the safety and benefit of staff and pupils alike.”

The research team from the UWS division of education is led by Professor Moira Hulme and includes Dr Carole Bignell, Dr Conny Gollek, Dr Susan Henderson-Bone, and Julie Isdale.

Professor Hulme said, “The study will employ innovative mixed method approaches to develop deeper understanding of the underlying causes and contributing factors of violent and aggressive behaviours.

“This award reinforces UWS’s reputation for impactful education research and our commitment to addressing real-world challenges facing Scottish education.”