The latest report from the Department of Education and Communities showed the region recorded its highest number of incidents for a single term in a decade.

Of the 57 incidents reported (up from 36 the previous term), 20 involved assaults, nine involved threats, eight involved weapons, three involved drugs and 17 related to other matters.

In the aforementioned incident, which took place in the Dubbo district on February 21, students were removed from the area and locked in classrooms while police were contacted and others intervened to separate the mothers.

The incident was one of several detailed in the report that appeared to have been instigated by parents. 

An incident on March 21 saw a father threaten staff and threaten to smash windows at a school after he was told he could not see a student because he was not on the official contact list. The school was placed in lockdown and police were called.

“It is unfortunate that there will be times when incidents report involvement of parents,” a Department of Education and Communities spokesperson said.

“Just as schools and their communities expect appropriate behaviour from students, they also expect that parents and other visitors to schools will conduct themselves appropriately.

“When this does not occur schools may take action, which could in some cases involve applying the inclosed Lands Act or seeking the support of police.

“While such occurrences are not common, when they do occur they will be recorded through the incident reporting process.”

Other incidents in the Dubbo district involved students threatening others with knives, smashing and throwing objects and destroying property.

An ambulance was also called after a girl assaulted another girl in the playground before school.

A further incident involved a Dubbo school being an unfortunate casualty of a situation on January 31 where police instructed it to go into lockdown after reports of a siege at the nearby Centrelink office in Wingewarra Street.

The report said more than 86 per cent of NSW schools did not report a single incident during the term, while 9 per cent of schools reported just one serious incident.

The Department of Education and Communities spokesperson said a factor contributing to a higher number of reports was that schools had a better understanding of the reporting process than in the past and were more thorough in reporting incidents to the Safety and Security Directorate.

“This increased reporting by schools is welcomed as the Department is assured that schools are receiving the expert advice and support that is readily available to assist them with the management of incidents,” he said.

- February 11: A female student armed herself with a knife in the staff kitchen, threatening another female student. She surrendered the knife when police from Orana LAC arrived.

- February 12: A male student was asked to leave the grounds of a neighbouring school after he turned up at the school office asking to see his girlfriend and going from class to class looking for her. He threatened to assault her and others before leaving the school grounds.

- February 13: A female student became upset in class, grabbed scissors and pretended to cut herself before handing over the scissors to staff.

- February 13: A teacher evacuated a class after a male student stood up and threatened everyone before throwing scissors and a chair.

- February 19: A school was placed in lockdown after reports a male student was running through the school brandishing scissors and sticks. Further investigation found he had been holding a stick and was looking for another student.

- February 21: A class was evacuated while a male student destroyed personal property and upturned furniture. The student abused his mother and refused to leave the school grounds with her.

- February 25: Two students were disciplined over an incident involving poultry at a local school (details were withheld).

- March 12: A student took a “phone and smashed it and smashed anything he could get his hands on” after being sent to the principal’s office.

- April 9: An ambulance was called after a female student was punched by another female student in the playground before school.

- April 11: A male student brought a knife to school to intimidate another male student before surrendering it to a staff member.