Written question WQ96570

All education settings have a legal duty to provide a safe learning environment.

Violent incidents remain relatively rare, in comparison with increasing levels of persistent, low-level disruption, as evidenced by recent Estyn research on behaviour in schools and direct feedback from the sector. However, I am concerned about the impact of behaviours across this spectrum on staff, learners and the wider community.

I recognise that violence in schools stems from a range of complex and sensitive issues. This is why I convened a Roundtable on violence and safety in schools and colleges and our National Behaviour Summit last month, bringing together a range of organisations and key partners across Wales, with a shared interest in tackling violence and poor behaviour amongst children and young people.

Following the Summit, I announced five immediate actions to address the most pressing behaviour issues. These initial actions will focus on supporting multi-agency working, updating school guidance, enhancing professional learning for practitioners, sharing best practice and standardising incident reporting, with a national data set.