STAFF at a school in Pontypool are going on strike on Thursday due to health and safety concerns caused by pupil behaviour.
Abersychan school will be closed on Thursday after staff said they feel unsafe at work because of threats by pupils.
Neil Butler from the NASUWT Union said: “We feel this issue is urgent and requires immediate attention.”
Mr Butler said the union’s priority is to make sure staff feel safe in their workplace.
Torfaen Council Director of Education, Andrew Powles, said: “The local authority and the school are in discussion with the union about proposed strike action. We will continue to work closely with the school and union to support pupils and staff.”
Mr Butler said not enough is being done to support staff who do not feel safe at schools.
The NASUWT union is encouraging its members who work at Abersychan school to go to a demonstration at the Senedd on Thursday which the union has organised.
“We think that the Welsh Government needs to do more. They have got to get a handle on learner behaviour.”
Mr Butler said the union conducts a survey of its members each year and found that 61% of them were verbally abused this year in the UK.
The survey also found that 18% of them were physically assaulted in the UK.
Mr Butler said these percentages would be representative of the situation in Wales as well as the UK as a whole.
“Health and safety for everyone in schools is our main priority,” said Mr Butler.
(Image: Abersychan school) A letter sent to parents
Abersychan school is not the only school in Wales going on strike over the behaviour of pupils.
Nantgwyn school in Tonypandy is also seeing its staff striking on Thursday, which will be the third time it has seen strikes like this.
This Thursday is the first time that Abersychan school staff have been on strike related to pupil behaviour.
A letter was sent out to all parents by Abersychan school on Friday December 6, to inform them that the strikes would take place on Thursday.
The South Wales Argus has reached out for comment from the Welsh Government.