NEARLY 100 violent incidents took place in council-run schools in Helensburgh and Lomond in less than two years, figures have revealed.
A Freedom of Information request has also shown that by March 2026, the number for the 2025/26 school year across Argyll and Bute was higher than the entirety of 2024/25.
There had been 200 recorded incidents of violence in 2025/26 by Wednesday, March 18, the day the Freedom of Information request was made.
A total of 176 were recorded during the previous year, data for the entirety of which was included in the request. The data related to primary and secondary schools.
In total, 99 of the 376 incidents were recorded in Helensburgh and Lomond, compared with 95 in Bute and Cowal, 92 in Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands, and 90 in Oban Lorn and the Isles.
The most incidents recorded at any one school in Helensburgh and Lomond during the time specified was 31, with 18 taking place in the 2025/26 academic year as of March 18.
Three other Helensburgh and Lomond schools had 10 incidents or more listed as part of the data returned for the Freedom of Information request.
Violence in schools has come into the spotlight on a national scale recently, with a school in another local area telling of escalating violence which saw teachers and other staff being slapped and spat on.
In May, it was also reported that physical assaults on school staff in Scotland had increased by 55 per cent over two years in the 2024/25 term.
An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said: “We have around 10,000 learners across Argyll and Bute and dedicated staff in schools who work with them each day. Many of these incidents of dysregulation come from learners with a range of additional support needs.
“Keeping colleagues safe is a priority as well as supporting all learners to be safe and included, and we have a number of procedures and policies in place alongside ongoing training and support.
“We also work closely with our families, communities, unions as well as multi-agency partners in this regard.”
A school in Oban Lorn and the Isles had the highest number of incidents listed as part of the Freedom of Information request, with a total of 56.
