Over 80 per cent of school leaders have been abused by parents in the last year – with one in 10 having been the victim of an assault, a new poll suggests, prompting calls to review complaints procedures.
A poll of 1,600 National Association of Headteachers members revealed some have been pushed to the brink of quitting the profession by the vitriol, threats and violence, while others now suffer from anxiety and depression.
Just over a third said they experienced such abuse on a monthly basis, with 16 per cent saying this typically happened every week.
The NAHT is urging ministers to review “complaints procedures to deter vexatious use of the existing system by parents” – which can involve referrals to the misconduct agency and Ofsted before school processes have been followed.
Paul Whiteman, the union’s general secretary, said there has been “a worrying increase in the amount of abuse” in recent years.
“Some of the stories we are hearing about the appalling abuse leaders and their staff are suffering from parents are almost beyond belief.
“These are dedicated professionals, who work hard day in day out to deliver a first-rate education for children in often trying circumstances.”
Eighty-two per cent of those questioned during the NAHT study said they had been abused by parents in the past 12 months.
Verbal attacks were the most common, with 85 per cent of those reporting abuse overall having experienced it in the last year.
One in 10 suffer physical violence
This was followed by threatening behaviour (68 per cent), online abuse (46 per cent) and discriminatory language (22 per cent), including use of racist, sexist or homophobic terms.
One in 10 had suffered physical violence.
The NAHT said the results exposed “widespread reports of trolling on social media and in parent groups on Facebook and WhatsApp – as well as appalling instances of hate campaigns and harassment and intimidation”.
One school leader told how “malicious and vexatious complaints made me want to leave my job and made me ill”.
Meanwhile, another “felt very low and dreaded opening my emails. Another member of the team said they might have to resign to avoid reading the emails.”
Eighty-six per cent of those polled said parental abuse had increased in the last three years. Only one per cent thought it had decreased.
16% abused every week
Thirty-five per cent were typically abused every month. Sixteen per cent said this happened every week.
NAHT argued “this kind of abusive behaviour is not tolerated in other industries”, as it called for the government to send a “clear signal to parents that it is unacceptable in schools”.
Whiteman added that this highlighted the importance of ministers “treating the profession with the respect it deserves”, as “too often teachers and leaders were publicly criticised and talked down to under previous administrations”.
“Where parents have concerns, worries or complaints, they of course should be able to raise these with the school, but this has to be done in a respectful manner. Put simply, whatever the situation, there is never an excuse for abuse.
“It causes enormous distress for school leaders, their staff, and sometimes pupils, and is even contributing to decisions by good people to leave the profession at a time schools are facing a severe recruitment and retention crisis.”
In November, Education Support’s annual teacher wellbeing index showed school staff have reported an increase in disruptive behaviour and abuse from pupils and their families.
Fifty-six per cent of leaders and 40 per cent of teachers said vexatious complaints from parents and guardians had increased. Thirty-three per cent reported that parents were more verbally abusive, while 6 per cent said they had become more physically abusive.
The charity’s research found that leader stress remains “chronic and acute”.
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