TEACHERS are calling for more support after 990 incidents of violent and threatening behaviour by pupils in North Somerset were reported this school year

TEACHERS are calling for more support after 990 incidents of violent and threatening behaviour by pupils in North Somerset were reported this school year.A total of six pupils have been expelled and 163 suspended for bullying, assault and threatening behaviour since September last year.Teaching staff are being targeted resulting in 142 temporary exclusions for verbal and physical abuse by pupils and 26 for assault on adults.North Somerset National Union of Teachers spokeswoman Anne Lemon said: "The children who are getting excluded are the ones who need more support. These pupils would not have been in mainstream education a few years ago and would have been in special schools."Pupils with problems are ending up being excluded because they don't have the proper support staff."There's also a lot of pressure on children to perform with constant examination and that's why they lash out."Colin Diamond, North Somerset Council's director of children and young people's services, said: "Incidents of verbal and physical abuse by pupils against adults in schools is a matter we take extremely seriously. But we would stress that these are relatively rare occurrences."Out of a pupil population of 28,500 there have been 169 incidents of verbal or physical abuse against an adult this year resulting in an exclusion, and only one of these is a permanent exclusion. The vast majority of North Somerset pupils are well behaved. "We do monitor these incidents of any kind of abuse from pupils, not only against adults working in schools, but also against other pupils and act swiftly if they occur."Are you a teacher who is constantly abused by pupils? Call the Weston & Somerset Mercury newsdesk on 01934 422500.