A FREEDOM of Information (FOI) request has revealed the number of assaults on teachers by pupils last year.

There were 39 assaults on teachers by pupils attending a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) in Devon in the academic year 2023/2024, the FOI shows.

And already in the 2024/25 academic year there have been 36 assaults.

A Pupil Referral Unit is an alternative education provision which is specifically organised to provide education for children who are not able to attend school for a number of reasons.

There are several PRU schools across Devon, including Torlands Academy, The Shoreline Academy, Stansfield Academy, River Dart Academy and Devon Hospital’s Short Stay School