To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff sickness days were taken in schools as a result of an assault upon a staff member in each local education authority area in the most recent year for which figures are available; how many days were lost per staff member on average as a result of such assaults in that year; and what the estimated cost of such losses was to each local education authority in that period. (289288)

The requested information is not held centrally by the Department.

Any violence against school staff is totally unacceptable. Our recently published behaviour strategy has at its centre strong discipline and good behaviour. It sets out how we will implement the parent and pupil guarantees announced in the “schools White Paper” that in their school there will be good behaviour, strong discipline, order and safety.

In addition, we intend to introduce new requirements on schools to record incidents of bullying between pupils, and incidents of verbal and physical abuse against school staff. We will introduce the new legislation in 2010. This new requirement will encourage more widespread and effective reporting, appropriate responses and prevention work. It will also send out a clear message to school staff that the issue will be taken seriously and acted upon.