Education Department data reveals how many times police attend schools after attacks on teachers

Not even primary schools are free from violent attacks forcing teachers to call in police, new figures show. Search to see the incidents at your school.

Violent attacks by students against teachers have drawn police to at least 115 schools across the state over the past decade.

Among them are many primary schools, from Burnside to Berri, and the most troubled school recorded 37 visits by officers.

The data, released by the Education Department under Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, does not give details of the incidents but educators say they would include the most serious cases where a school staff member was injured.

Responding to the revelations, Education Minister Blair Boyer has flagged a new partnership with SA Police which will aim to make students more “aware of the consequences” of violence and bullying at school.

It will also give educators clearer guidance on when to call in police.

“Violence against anyone, a staff member or a student, will not be tolerated,” Mr Boyer said.

Documents released by the department show there were 256 incidents at South Australian public schools, between 2014 and 2022, where police responded after a violent, physical attack by a student against a teacher.

At 58 sites there was more than one incident during that time.

Annually, there were between 21 and 34 incidents recorded.

The school police attended most frequently was Bowden Brompton Community School where across its three campuses - in Brompton, Salisbury North and Christie Downs - there were 37 incidents.

The school’s website says it enrols students aged 11 to 18 who “are unable to effectively engage” at other schools and often arrive with “gaps in learning, displaying emotionally charged behaviours or significant mental health issues”.

The school offers trauma-aware teaching and positive behaviour support, it says.

Coorara Primary School, in Morphett Vale, reported nine police visits.

Principal Steph Tulloch took on her role in 2022 and said there had been no police attendance since then.

At Paralowie R-12 School there were seven visits by police between 2014 and 2022, but none last year, principal Julie Wilson said.

The school introduced a new approach in 2022 which trains staff to better help students manage their emotions, and there are dedicated rooms for pupils to take time out, Ms Wilson said.

At Roma Mitchell Secondary College, where there were six police visits, principal Toni Carellas said there were “a range of students with complex needs”.

However, the school had “not had cause to call police to attend” this year, she said.

SA Primary Principals Association president Tobias O’Connor said he had been involved in cases where schools had to impose lockdowns, close classrooms or call police to “de-escalate” or remove children.

“There can be things thrown at staff or (they are) being kicked or bitten or punched,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Sometimes, I suspect, when staff have been injured is when they’ve tried to intervene … or protect other students.”

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Education Minister Blair Boyer. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said it was important that schools, police and the government took violent incidents seriously.

“Calling the police is unfortunately necessary from time to time in our schools,” said Mr Gardner, who is a former education minister.

“Even primary school aged children can sometimes be responsible for really troubling and difficult behaviours. We should never take for granted the challenging work that sometimes confronts teachers in complex classrooms.”

Mr Boyer said it was “always concerning when police are called to incidents at schools”.

“We have banned mobile phones in schools to help reduce incidents of violence, we have put in place security guards when needed, we are introducing legislation to ban abusive parents from school sites and we have worked closely with stakeholders to introduce a violence in schools action plan,” he said.

Mr Boyer noted that a trial of extra supports at 12 large, complex secondary schools early last year resulted in a 22 per cent drop in violent incidents.

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