Hundreds of incidents involving violence from pupils towards teachers have been reported in West Dunbartonshire.
The council said in the last full year, there were 450 recorded incidents but union representatives believe there are far more, as it states the recording system is “inefficient”.
According to council data released to the Clydebank Post in a joint investigation with the Glasgow Times, under Freedom of Information, there have been more than 1500 incidents across all schools in the West Dunbartonshire Council area over the last three years.
The council figures show there has been a reduction in violent incidents between 2023 and 2024.
It showed there were 811 incidents in 2023 and in 2024, it was 450.
There were far more recorded incidents in primary than secondary schools with 811 cases in primaries in 2023, going down to 450 the following year.
In secondary schools, it was 56 in 2023, down to 18 last year.
For 2025 to date, the council said there had been 267 incidents in primary schools and 2 in secondary schools.
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Scotland’s largest teaching union, the Education Institute of Scotland (EIS), said the full picture is not being reported.
The school with the highest number of incidents in 2024 was Dalreoch Primary School, with 50 and St Peter the Apostle, the highest secondary, with seven.
The EIS says it understands the information to be wrong and suspects there has been an error in supplying the information.
The union said it is currently working with the local authority to update the system for reporting and is expecting a jump in reports soon.
It believes incidents are currently being under-reported due to the inefficient system that was in place previously.
The council confirmed it is working with the union on a reporting system.
A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “The safety of our employees continues to be a priority and we take all reports of violence against staff extremely seriously.
“We strongly encourage employees to record all incidents and continue to raise awareness of the correct reporting processes so they feel supported to do this.
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“We will continue to work with them and trade union partners to ensure we have a robust method of accurately reporting and recording incidents of violence and that appropriate support mechanisms are in place.”
The Clydebank Post, working with sister title the Glasgow Times, asked all local authorities for the number of recorded violent incidents.
It found in Edinburgh, there was an increase in incidents in primary schools from 763 in 2023/34 to 1010 the following year. To date, for 2025/26, there has been 771 already in the capital.
Secondary schools recorded a big rise from 112 to 301 from 2023/24 to 2024/25 and there have been 232 already so far.
Aberdeen also showed an increase in both primary and secondary schools, from 210 in primary schools to 273 over the two years and 135 already this year to date.
Secondary school incidents doubled from 16 to 32 and 24 have been noted so far for 2025/26.
Dundee showed a significant drop in incidents from 1231 in primary schools two years ago to 798 in the last school year and 126 up to October this year.
For secondaries, it also fell, from 414 to 247 and 39 in the current year, from August to October.
Violent incidents involving pupils on teachers have increased in Renfrewshire schools.
In primary schools in 2023/24, the number was 338, increasing to 348 in 2024/25.
In secondary schools, it was 74, increasing to 80.
For the current school year to date 2025/26, there were 202 in primary schools and 29 in secondary schools.
In East Renfrewshire, violent incidents involving pupils targeting staff totalled more than 500 in the last two years.
There were 180 in primary schools in 2024/25.
There were 34 in secondary schools.
It is a drop on the year before, where it was 332 in primary schools and 38 in secondary.
How many incident reports involving violence from pupils towards teaching staff:
West Dunbartonshire Council
2023 – 811 (Primary 755, Secondary 56)
2024 – 450 (Primary 432, Secondary 18)
2025 (to date 19/11/25) – 269 (Primary 267, Secondary 2)
The full West Dunbartonshire list for 2024
Dalreoch Primary - 50
Aitkenbar Primary School (B'myre Campus) - 43
St Patricks Primary - 25
Kilpatrick Campus Mountblow - 24
St Marys Primary, Alexandria - 23
Christie Park Primary - 22
Gavinburn ELCC - 19
Braehead Primary - 18
Kilbowie Primary - 15
St Martins Primary - 14
St Kessogs Primary - 13
St Peters Primary (Bellsmyre Campus) - 12
Renton Base ASN - 12
Renton Primary - 12
Clydemuir Primary School - 10
Cunard (Whitecrook Primary) ASN - 10
St Kessogs Base ASN - 9
Our Lady of Loretto Primary - 9
St Michaels Primary - 8
St Peter the Apostle High - 7
Dalmonach ELCC - 7
Balloch Primary - 7
Brucehill ELCC - 6
St Josephs Rainbow Base ASN - 6
Lennox Primary School - 6
Vale of Leven Academy - 5
St Stephens Primary - 5
St Eunans ELCC - 5
Dumbarton Academy - 4
Carleith Primary - 5
Linnvale Primary - 4
Goldenhill Primary - 4
Renton Language Unit (Renton Primary) - 3
Kilbowie ELCC - 3
St Marys ELCC Alexandria - 3
Edinbarnet Primary - 2
Whitecrook ELCC - 2
Levenvale Primary - 2
Ferryfield EECC - 2
Dalreoch ELCC - 2
Knoxland Primary - 2
Auchnacraig ELCC - 1
Bonhill Primary - 1
Our Holy Redeemers Primary - 1
Balloch ELCC - 1
Clydebank High School - 1
St Marys Primary, Duntocher - 1
St. Mary's ELCC, Alexandria - 1
Clydebank ELCC - 1
Our Lady & St Patricks High - 1
Lennox ELCC - 1
Gavinburn Primary - 1
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