Agenda item

With reference to article 2 of the minute of the meeting of the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee of 26 August 2025, article 6 of the minute of the Education and Children’s Services Committee of 25 November 2025, and the meeting of Council of 4 February 2026, the Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director Families and Communities which (a) outlined the approach taken to managing incidents with offensive weapons in schools; (b) provided an analysis of both Council and Police Scotland data; (c) updated Members on learning from generic incident data held; (d) provided an overview of how the Education Service was working with partners to reduce the number of incidents in schools; and (e) shared learning from changes made at school level regarding mobile phone use.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the refreshed Anti-Weapon / Knife Crime guidance and acknowledge that the work done by schools, central officers and partners resulted in robust multiagency responses to incidents;

(b)      note that there were strong systems in place which were informing effective preventative strategies;

(c)      note that the data showed incidents were clearly linked to developmental delays and wellbeing needs;

(d)      note that the number of incidents was in line with comparable local authorities; and

(e)      instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to consider the learning from this report when updating school Lockdown Guidance.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor Boulton, in terms of Standing Order 16.1.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener, moved:-

That the Committee:-

(a)      approve the recommendations in the report;

(b)      note that the impacts of a general mobile phone ban were inconclusive and instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to continue to monitor and evaluate mobile phone use in school settings;

(c)      welcome the ongoing constructive cooperation with Unions on delivering the agreed Behaviour Plan, including delivery of preventative professional learning and recognise the importance of sustaining partnership working with Unions especially in responding to survey findings that recorded the views of teachers and other staff;

(d)      note that the Behaviour Plan was linked to the report at item 10.3 on the Early Intervention Support Space - The Bridge Service, which kept children's rights at the centre of our work and contributed to the goal of inclusion in education settings, and agree that future expansion of similar models, based on lessons learned from the Bridge, should be progressed for secondary stage pupils, subject to Committee approval of the recommendations in item 10.3 (Early Intervention Support Space – The Bridge Service);

(e)      note the conclusions at Section 3.60 of the report, in particular that evidence demonstrated that many incidents being reported were a result of the young person's developmental, transition, hunger and intimate care needs and agree to instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to incorporate this information in planning and delivering action through the Behaviour Plan; and

(f)       instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to seek the views of pupils on how the Behaviour Plan takes these needs into account.

Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor Macdonald, moved as an amendment:-

That the Committee:-

(a)      note the refreshed Anti-Weapon / Knife Crime guidance and acknowledge the work done by schools, central officers and partners;

(b)      note that the report indicated that incidents were linked to developmental delays and well-being needs;

(c)      agree that no teacher, pupil or support staff member should feel unsafe in the classroom and that 65 incidents per week, even if it was in line with other local authorities, was a level of aggression and violence in our schools that should not be tolerated;

(d)      note the preventative strategies and restorative practice in place and in development. Note that the report did not mention consequences for violence and aggressive behaviour and instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to provide an update to Committee regarding current practice and any changes required as part of the review of the Exclusion Policy, due to be presented to Committee in June;

(e)      instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to consider the learning from this report when updating school Lockdown Guidance;

(f)       instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning to introduce a ban on mobile phone in classrooms across the city, based on the out of sight policy already trialled within some city schools;

(g)      instruct the Chief Officer - Education and Lifelong Learning to report to Committee annually on Action to Reduce Incidents in schools;  and

(h)      note the analysis around the impact on behaviour of the September weekend and instruct the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning when the calendar was reviewed again, to include this data and consider whether the two days of the September weekend should be moved to February half term.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (10) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; Councillors Allard, Buchanan, Hazel Cameron, Clark, Fairfull and MacGregor; Ms Barclay and Dr Murray; for the amendment (5) – Councillors Blake, Brooks, Macdonald, McLeod and Mrs Stewart; declined to vote (3) – Mr Haywood, Ms Munro and Mrs Smith; absent from the division (1) – Mr Murray.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning would review whether a question could be included in future surveys in relation to the thoughts of pupils on weapons in schools;

(ii)       to note that the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning would discuss any impact caused by smart watches with the Head Teacher group;

(iii)      to note that the Chief Officer – Education and Lifelong Learning would provide a service update to Members if the HDRC had any data available in relation to any gender differences around the use of mobile phones; and

(iv)      to adopt the motion.