A primary school teacher says an assault by a pupil left her ribs so badly bruised she couldn’t pick up her baby – one of several experiences of violence that have changed how she approaches the job she loves.
Teresa has spent 25 years teaching primary school children. During that time, she says she has been physically assaulted by four different students.
One child repeatedly hit her, first while she was pregnant and again after she returned from maternity leave.
Her account comes as Ministry of Education figures obtained by 1News under the Official Information Act show primary schools accounted for almost eight in 10 stand-downs and suspensions for physically assaulting school staff in 2025.
Teacher recounts being attacked as assaults on primary school staff soar - Watch on TVNZ+
Among children in Years 1–3, those disciplinary actions almost doubled between 2022 and 2025.
For Teresa, the impact extended well beyond the classroom.
"I got really quite badly bruised ribs one of the times," she said.
"I had a little baby, of course, and I couldn’t pick up this little baby."
Teresa was teaching a new-entrant class when the child first hit her.
"I was pregnant in a new entrant classroom, and I got hit by this child."
Extra support was secured. While she was on maternity leave, her principal told her the same child would be in her class when she returned.
Teresa said additional help initially made a difference. But as the child began meeting goals, some funding was withdrawn.
"This child was starting to do quite well, but because he was meeting goals, they took some of the funding away, and it all started to unravel."
She recalled one incident in which she tried to help the child calm down by going outside to talk.
"And then he was just banging, banging, banging, hitting me, and so I’m there by myself, and I actually shouted out for help."
Another teacher heard her and sought assistance. Teresa said similar incidents happened several times.
The experiences have made her more cautious about the support available when taking on teaching work. She is no longer in a classroom full-time.
"I’m a lot more picky about the support I'll get."
But she does not blame the child or his mother, who she said was also trying to get help.
"That kid needed help. The mum was trying to get help."
Almost eight in 10 cases in primary schools
The Ministry of Education figures record 1469 stand-downs and suspensions for physical assaults on staff across schools in 2025.
Of those, 1160 – about 79% – were in primary schools.
Among Years 1-3, the combined number rose from 330 in 2022 to 639 in 2025 – an increase of almost 94%.
These figures count disciplinary actions, not individual children or every assault. A child can appear more than once, and similar behaviour may be handled differently by different schools.
Exclusions and expulsions are outcomes of suspensions and are already included in those totals.
The ministry also cautions that the figures reflect schools’ responses to behaviour and should not be treated as a direct measure of its prevalence. Incidents that do not result in a stand-down or suspension are not captured in the combined count.
Ministry of Education deputy secretary Geoff Short said the increase in stand-downs for assaults on staff was concerning.
"We’re really concerned that we’ve seen that increase in stand downs, reflecting an increase in physical assaults on staff and we don’t know what’s behind it."
Later in the interview, he acknowledged the limits of the data.
"It doesn’t necessarily reflect what actual behaviour may be occurring in schools."
'We need real action at the chalkface'
Arakura School principal Tute Mila said schools needed more practical support to meet children’s needs.
"We need real action at the chalkface. We’re really desperate for funding to have teacher aides in every classroom."
She described increasing numbers of five-year-olds arriving with high and complex needs, and difficulties accessing timely specialist help.
For some children, one-on-one support made a significant difference. But schools could not always sustain it throughout the day.
"Sometimes we can provide one-on-one support, but it’s never enough for a whole day."
Mila said schools were drawing on their own resources to help fill the gaps.
"It’s completely unsustainable."
Government points to learning-support investment
Education Minister Erica Stanford said the Government was investing in early intervention and learning support.
"Of course I’m concerned and that’s why we put $750 million into the learning support budget," she told 1News.
The Government’s announced measures include more specialists, learning-support coordinators for schools with Years 1-8 pupils, and additional teacher-aide hours building to more than two million a year from 2028.
Stanford said underlying needs could require help from speech-language specialists, educational psychologists or occupational therapists.
Teresa believes another adult in the classroom can make a substantial difference, providing support for both the child and the teacher.
Despite what happened, she hopes the boy who hurt her has received the help he needed.
"I hope that things have got better for you, and you’ve got the help that you need," she said.
"And I hope I was able to play some role in in your education and shaping it for the better."
For her, the failure was in the system.
"No kid deserves that. No kid does deserve that. No parent deserves it either."
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