Meeting of the Parliament 19 November 2025
I thank Labour for bringing the debate to the chamber on an afternoon that has focused on education and skills.
I say at the outset that the issues in our education system in no way reflect the hard work and dedication that is provided by teachers and support staff across the country. However, why do we find ourselves in a position where Scotland’s classrooms are the most violent in the UK, more than a third of our teachers have been attacked with a weapon, more than 64,000 school bullying incidents have been reported by 25 local authorities, and in a survey by NASUWT in March, 83 per cent of its members in Scotland said that the number of violent and abusive pupils had increased in the past 12 months? Why are we in a position where we are the worst in the UK?
If we do not look at those issues objectively and without prejudice, we cannot change the outcomes for teachers, children and young people across Scotland. I would like to highlight how I think some of those issues could be addressed.
A developing mind has an essential need for boundaries. According to child development experts such as Dr Ross Greene, author of “The Explosive Child”, and Dr Dan Siegel, co-author of “The Whole-Brain Child”, children who grow up with clear and consistent rules tend to have better self-control, stronger decision-making skills and healthier relationships.
Without boundaries, children can struggle with self-regulation, develop anxiety and find it difficult to respect others’ limits. I believe that boundaries and an understanding of consequences are essential, and issues in that regard are a contributory factor to the reason why Scotland has a greater proportion of violence than the other three of the four UK nations.
That opinion is not mine alone—there are increasing doubts among unions and experts about the Scottish education policy of restorative approaches to behaviour management. Mike Corbett of the NASUWT in Scotland has stated:
“The wholesale adoption of the restorative approach to pupil discipline has definitely been a problem”,
and said that
“You can’t offer a quiet chat and no serious consequences for this level of disruptive behaviour.”
Although a structured conversation between staff and pupils to address incidents of poor behaviour is certainly an option, it has to be backed up with robust consequences that are completely accepted and understood.