SCHOOL staff in Oxfordshire are to be offered safety training to protect them from violent situations.

The move comes after a number of high-profile incidents nationally - including the Dunblane tragedy and the stabbing of London headteacher Philip Lawrence.

School staff are likely to be taught how to handle potentially violent situations involving visitors from outside the school as well as avoiding confrontation.

Kevin Griffin, senior premises development officer for Oxfordshire County Council, said: "It will be very much an awareness exercise. We will be looking at techniques for defusing anger and identifying situations before they develop.

"It will also look at sensible practice - if you're alone making sure people know what you're doing, considering the layout of furniture. It's things like calming situations down and when to ask for help. We do not have big a problem in Oxfordshire. But it's something we're aware of and we want staff to have training in this. Everyone had a raised awareness of things that have happened nationally and elsewhere in the world"."

The training is likely to incorporate advice from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a national organisation which promotes safety awareness.

Roy Leach, secretary for the National Union of Teachers in Oxfordshire, welcomed the move.

He said: "Certainly any advice on how to avoid confrontation will be welcome. Fortunately assaults on teachers are few but when they do occur they are very stressing and action needs to be taken to avoid them."

He said although few incidents resulted in violence, there had been the recent case of an intruder slashing clothing left in changing rooms at several county schools.

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