SCISSORS, pencils and sticks are among the weapons that children in Oxfordshire used to stab their teachers and each other, according to county council figures.

Information obtained by the Oxford Mail under the Freedom of Information Act revealed there were 17 reported ‘stabbing’ incidents in county schools since June 2009.

Seven were at special schools and the rest were in mainstream schools.

Ten involved attacks on teachers, according to Oxfordshire County Council, and the remainder were on other pupils.

And in no instances were police contacted.

The council cabinet member for education, Melinda Tilley, said: “It is a very small number.

“I don’t think anybody should go to work and expect to get attacked, but I also think perhaps some of them have been reported that needn’t have been.”

Gawain Little, of the Oxfordshire branch of the National Union of Teachers, said: “I’m pleased it is a relatively rare occurrence but any attack by a student on a teacher is too many.”

The largest number of reported incidents were at Mabel Prichard Special School, Blackbird Leys, where there were two occasions where teachers were stabbed with pencils, one where a pupil stabbed a fellow pupil with a pencil and one where a pupil was stabbed with a pair of scissors.

Headteacher Jane Wallington said: “The incidents where a child has tried to hurt someone is usually due to their frustration with an inability to communicate.

“It would not be appropriate to call police in here because the children would not understand.”

North Hinksey Primary School reported two incidents, both involving the same pupil who on separate occasions stabbed a pupil and a teacher with a pencil.

Matthew Arnold School reported a pupil stabbing another pupil with a scalpel.
Headteacher Katherine Ryan said: “The students were using scalpels in a design and technology lesson and it was an accidental injury.”

She said the school had redone its risk assessments.

A teacher was stabbed with a screw at Northern House Special School, in Summertown, where children have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

Headteacher Ian Barker said: “We apply appropriate sanctions to the child, parents are usually called in and a multi-agency meeting may be called.”

Reported stabbings:

  • Fitzwaryn School, Wantage – Pupil stabbed teacher with fork and cut shoulder on December 1, 2009.
  • Iffley Mead School, Oxford – Pupil stabbed teacher with blunt eating knife on January 6, 2012.
  • Mabel Prichard School, Blackbird Leys – Pupil stabbed another pupil with a pencil on November 13, 2009.
  • Mabel Prichard School – Pupil stabbed teacher with pencil, March 22, 2010.
  • Mabel Prichard School – Pupil stabbed teacher with pencil, May 13, 2010.
  • Mabel Prichard School – Pupil stabbed pupil with scissors, July 14, 2010.
  • Manor School, Didcot – Pupil stabbed teacher with stick on February 24, 2010. School records indicate pupil poked another pupil with a stick then injured teacher when he was being restrained.
  • Matthew Arnold School, Oxford – Pupil stabbed pupil with scalpel, May 17, 2010. School records indicate accidental injury.
  • Millbrook Primary School, Grove – Pupil stabbed teacher with pencil, December 6, 2010.
  • Northern House School, Oxford – Pupil stabbed teacher with a screw, December 2, 2010.
  • North Hinksey Primary School – Pupil stabbed pupils with pencil, June 21, 2010.
  • North Hinksey Primary School – Pupil stabbed teacher with pencil, July 7, 2010.
  • Uffington Primary School – Pupil attempted to stab lunch supervisor with his fork and knife on April 30, 2010.
  • Wallingford School – Pupil stabbed pupil with pen, May 11, 2010.
  • Wolvercote Primary School – Pupil stabbed teacher with pencil, December 2, 2010.
  • Wood Green School, Witney – Pupil cut himself with a kitchen knife on September 24, 2010.
  • Wood Green School – Pupil stabbed pupil with pencil, December 2, 2010.  Source Oxfordshire County Council