A whistleblowing form for teachers to report violent incidents involving pupils in schools has been removed by Aberdeen City Council.

The council introduced the forms in March after staff complained they were being discouraged from reporting such incidents.

But it later emerged the form was only used once.

A report going before the local authority’s education committee next week states the decision follows a review of the policy. The EIS teaching union said it was not surprised the measure was being withdrawn.

The EIS said since the form’s introduction it was worried that unions were bypassed in the process.

It added some teachers were also worried about the possibility of identification.

The whistleblowing form was announced by the council after an EIS report, published in February, highlighted violent pupil behaviour in the city’s schools.

It suggested teachers were being encouraged not to report incidents in a drive to keep down exclusions.

Some said they were traumatised, feared for their safety, and were scared to go to work because of escalating pupil violence.

Ron Constable, branch secretary of the EIS, said he was not surprised the form was being removed.

He told BBC Scotland News: "The EIS thought this was a totally inadequate form for reporting incident.

"It bypassed the trade unions completely and, while it gave the council the chance to hear the thoughts of teachers, there were concerns – especially in smaller schools – about being identified."

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