Attacks on school staff have gone up - with a total of 116 reported across the district since March 1.

Earlier this year, the Telegraph & Argus reported how 71 violent incidents had been logged from the beginning of the spring term in January to the end of February.

However, the latest figures have left whistleblower, GMB union convenor Ray Alderman, "stunned". He was initially contacted by members of the union who work in support positions. But his dossier grew after reports came in from teaching staff in primary, secondary and special schools too.

He said: "The last set of statistics for January and February were bad enough but they now are increasing at a dramatic rate. It is completely unacceptable."

Mr Alderman believes Bradford Council and Education Bradford must share some of the blame for the problem. He says he contacted both bodies in the spring to set up an urgent meeting to discuss the issue - but did not hear back from either. "Obviously they did not take much notice," he added.

The latest round of attacks logged by the Council include kicking, biting, stamping, punching and throwing as well as an incident which saw a pupil ride a scooter on to land belonging to a Bradford secondary school before assaulting a teacher.

"Quite a few members of staff contacted me after seeing the first article in the T&A thanking me for bringing the problem to people's attention," added Mr Alderman. "But it is now getting to the point where staff are being assaulted every day. The numbers have left me stunned."

Mr Alderman said he planned to contact Education Bradford and Bradford Council once again to call for urgent action to take place.

Pam Milner, NASUWT Bradford branch secretary, said she was not surprised by the volume of incidents, adding they were only the "tip of the iceberg".

"I would say 116 was still a gross underestimation," she said. "Children are now under the misapprehension that they are beyond the law and that they have all the power and teachers have none. The local authority has a duty of care to make training in pupil management an absolute must."

Coun David Ward (Idle and Thackley), the Liberal Democrat Group's education spokesman, said staff in inner-city schools, where he believed most attacks took place, ought to be paid more to compensate. He added schools needed to inform parents every time an incident took occurred.

John Mcleod, Bradford Council's interim chief education officer, said: "The Council takes all instances of violence against staff very seriously and we look forward to discussing the GMB's concerns with the union."

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