Headteachers subjected to death threats amid growth in attacks from parents and students, school leaders say

‘Do we need to have a headteacher die before we take this seriously?’ asks union member

Headteachers are being subjected to death threats and teachers have to leave school in groups amid a rise in attacks and aggression from parents and pupils, school leaders have warned.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has now backed a motion calling on the government to help reduce severe and frequent attacks against staff.

Michelle Sheehy, a headteacher from Walsall, said two members of staff in a secondary school had been “threatened with an axe” and subjected to “racist and homophobic abuse”.

She added that teachers left in groups in another school because they were too “afraid of violent repercussions from parents”.

Alice Middleton, from the Dudley NAHT branch, said she was recently approached by a parent on the school playground who threatened to kill her. The mother then denied the death threat, the head said.

Kerry Lynch, a headteacher in Shropshire, who has also been subjected to death threats, called for more support.

Tim Gallagher, from the West Midlands, told the NAHT conference in Telford that physical intimidation and assaults by pupils, parents and family members towards school staff had risen.

He asked: “Do we need to have the death of a headteacher, or the death of a senior member of staff like Jo Cox before we take this seriously?”

Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, head at Anderton Park primary school in Birmingham, which has been at the centre of a row over LGBT+ lessons, added that there were police markers on her house following abuse.

The union was unable to say exactly why there has been a rise in threats – but the increased use of social media is likely to have made it easier for parents to directly abuse staff.

The motion passed by delegates called on the government to develop a strategy to prevent and reduce “unacceptable behaviour”.

Headteachers also called on the union and government to support members facing online harassment.

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a £10m package to improve discipline in schools.

Speaking to hundreds of headteachers in Telford on Friday, education secretary Damian Hinds said teachers and school leaders should not be subjected to online abuse for doing their jobs.

He said: “I’m 100 per cent behind making sure the entire school workforce can go about their business free from fear or intimidation.”