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ACT Policing investigating student violence incident at Tuggeranong school

Police and workplace authorities will investigate an incident where a Tuggeranong student allegedly threatened a teacher and destroyed school property last month.

Fairfax Media understands attempts have been made to transfer the teenager - who has a history of violent behaviour - to another Tuggeranong high school.

But the plan has been met with resistance due to safety concerns for students and staff at the new school if the teen is simply shifted.

ACT Policing confirmed officers responded to a report of property damage at the school on February 20.

A police spokesman said no injuries had been reported to police and an investigation into the incident had been launched.

The ACT's work safety watchdog has also opened a probe into the work, health and safety aspects of the situation.

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WorkSafe ACT declined to provide further information while the investigation was underway.

Figures published by Fairfax Media last month show violent acts and threats against staff is on the increase in Australian schools.

More than one in three principals experienced physical violence at school in 2016 - up from 27 per cent the previous year - according to the country's largest survey of principal health.

The ACT recorded the second highest rate across Australia, with 48.21 per cent of principals falling victim to physical violence.

Almost fifty-two per cent of ACT principals also reported they had been threatened with violence.

Local data showed a doubling in reported physical violence by public school students against school staff in recent years.

In one recent case, a teacher was hospitalised late last year after being kicked in the back by a student at Narrabundah Early Childhood School.

When contacted about the violent incident in Tuggeranong last month, Australian Education Union ACT secretary Glenn Fowler said the union would press the directorate for assurances about member safety as it worked on the student's education future.

"If students are to move schools, and they have a background of violence, there has to be appropriate controls in place, as per work health and safety legislation, to ensure the safety of all staff and students," Mr Fowler said.

"We've been working with the directorate for months on such matters and we're confident headway is being made.

"This is an issue prominent in our members' minds [so] we'll want to be convinced that we haven't slid back into the bad old ways of operating."

Mr Fowler said the union expected there to be a growing commitment and expertise in the directorate around the safety of staff "that complements and matches the enormous energies that go into the education of students."

"Both are inalienable and neither can be compromised," he said.

The ACT Education Directorate said it could not comment on individual cases, but confirmed it had been working with Worksafe to ensure the ongoing safety and wellbeing of staff.

A spokeswoman said students were sometimes moved to other education settings on occasions, dependent on their needs.

"The safety of our staff and students is our priority," she said.

"Schools are places for learning – not a place for violence. Schools need to be safe to allow learning to occur.

"Canberra public schools welcome every child. Across our 87 schools, we provide support for many students with complex needs and challenging behaviours."