Shocking spike in assaults and weapons-related incidents in schools

NSW school students were involved in more than 1500 assaults and over 700 incidents involving weapons last year, according to shocking NSW Education Department statistics.

There has been a shocking spike in assaults and weapons-related incidents in NSW schools, with the number of cases doubling in the space of 12 months.

According to annual data released by NSW Education, 1517 assaults were reported by staff in 2023, up from 843 in 2022.

In the same period, incidents involving a weapon jumped from 241 in 2022, to 728 in 2023.

Speaking anonymously, a leading Western Sydney principal told The Sunday Telegraph the figures are “unfortunately unsurprising.”

“We have had people bringing weapons to school and using them to assault others, that is a huge concern” the high school principal said.

Of the more than 1500 assault reports logged by teachers and school staff 106 were filmed, with the footage sometimes “circulated to other students and the community.”

There has been a shocking spike in assaults and weapons related incidents in NSW schools. Picture: iStock

Other categories logged in the data include cases of threatening, intimidating and offensive conduct (740 incidents) and problematic and harmful sexual behaviour (702 incidents.)

NSW Shadow Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the figures were “shocking”, and would “send a chill down the spine of every parent in NSW.”

“Prue Car should be telling parents, students and teachers exactly what the Minns Government intends to do to bring these numbers down and ensure schools are safe places for all students and staff.,” said Ms Mitchell.

In one case in Cambridge Park in Western Sydney in March 2023 several students were involved in a fight on school grounds.

The brawl was filmed and shared online, and NSW Police were called to the scene.

Another student in Liverpool last August was attacked by “several students” on school grounds, prompting the campus to be locked down, one of 42 assault-related lockdowns in NSW last year alone.

The worst area in the state for incident reports is the Tuggerah Lakes region on the Central Coast, with more than 150 reports last year, with the Maitland area near Newcastle reporting 134 incidents.

Jioji Ravulo, a professor of youth wellbeing at Sydney University, said the rising violence could be “a reaction to feeling unsafe”.

Jioji Ravulo, a professor of youth wellbeing at Sydney University said the rising violence could be “a reaction to feeling unsafe” because of harmful material online and social media bullying, with some students possibly bringing a weapon to school for protection.

“They’re not intentionally, at times, trying to hurt others, if anything, it gives them a sense of security.”

Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car defended her government’s record on violence on campus, saying “schools across NSW are overwhelmingly safe places, as they should be”.

“Since coming to government we have introduced a number of measures to improve behaviour and curb violent outbursts in our schools, including a ban on mobile phones and a new student behaviour policy,” Ms Car said.

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Originally published as Shocking spike in assaults and weapons-related incidents in schools