FEMALE teachers in Scottish schools are experiencing higher levels of physical and verbal abuse from pupils than male colleagues, a teaching union study finds.

Data from the NASUWT’s recent Behaviour in Schools survey, published today, shows that 19 per cent of female teachers in Scotland said that they have experienced physical abuse or violence from pupils several times a week in the previous 12 months, compared with just 3 per cent of male teachers. 
 
The figures show that male teachers are more likely to face verbal threats from pupils, but that female teachers are most likely to have experienced actual physical violence.

Among the physical abuse being reported include being hit or punched, shoved or barged, kicked, spat at and head-butted.

Female teachers also described misogyny and sexism as being among the abuse that they are experiencing from pupils. 
 
The data is being published to coincide with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence global campaign which runs from November 25 to December 10. 

NASUWT deputy general secretary Jane Peckham said: “We cannot hope to make our schools safe and secure places to learn and work unless the gendered element of managing pupil behaviour is also addressed.”