Health and safety forces headteachers forced to pick up dirty needles and condoms

By Rory Reynolds

HEADTEACHERS are having to pick up dirty needles and condoms from school grounds because health and safety prevents cleaners from removing them, according to a new government report.

A poll of 1,137 school rectors across Scotland has revealed that there is increasing concern that they are having to stop “undesirables” from entering that school grounds, while clearing up after youths “dubious night-time activities”.

The Scottish Government paper, which was researched by academics from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cambridge universities, has also shown that often headteachers find themselves liable for everything that happens across the school site, despite the fact that

The report, titled Recruitment and Retention of Headteachers in Scotland, said: “One of the most worrying concerns for heads was health and safety.

“Many of the routine tasks which they undertook, it was claimed, were in breach of rules and were accomplished because janitors were not allowed to undertake them.