Teachers yesterday warned of growing despair over a rising tide of violence in classrooms across Scotland.

Teachers yesterday warned of growing despair over a rising tide of violence in classrooms across Scotland from children as young as five.

Recent incidents included one teacher who was head-butted and another with 20 years' experience who was punched in the face.

Other concerns aired at the annual meeting of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) in Perth centred on the growing threat from gang violence. Delegates heard one teacher's experience of pupils who routinely fought each other at weekends and evenings and then took the violence into school.

There were also stories of pupils as young as five hurling furniture around classrooms "at leisure" and where verbal abuse, defiance and non- co-operation were routine.

The meeting voted unanimously for the EIS ruling council to revise and update advice on violent incidents in schools and for local authorities to provide better support for teachers who were victims of violence once they returned to school.

Willie Hart, secretary of the Glasgow branch of the EIS, said: "One of the hardest and saddest things I have to do is deal with members at their wits' end because of the violent incidents and the violent conduct they are receiving on a daily basis.

"It's disturbing because of the frequency that incidents occur, because of the nature of some of the events and in particular the growing reports of five, six and seven-year-olds who are wholly out of control and acting in a violent manner towards their peers and their teachers.

"It is very sad because we have these children who are outwith the control of society and it is extremely sad because I am witnessing experienced professionals being destroyed on a daily basis."

Mr Hart said whole schools and classrooms could be "skewed" because of the conduct of one or two "very damaged" children. He said that in most cases the school had exhausted all the classroom strategies and support mechanisms available, but the violence continued.

"We need a new policy because violence with pupils towards their peers and towards staff is increasing and continues to increase unless we take action against it," he added.

Earlier, delegates heard an attack on the right of the Roman Catholic Church to veto the appointment of teachers in denominational schools. Peter Quigley, outgoing EIS president, said it was "iniquitous" that a skilled and qualified teacher should be denied employment by the Church in this way.

Under the 1980 Education Act, representatives of the Catholic Church can block teachers from employment or promotion in denominational schools on the grounds of religious belief and character.

The law was passed to protect the unique ethos of denominational schools, which were set up in Scotland to provide an education for Scotland's 750,000-strong population of Catholics.

However, there is concern the law conflicts with the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects people from discrimination on grounds of religion or belief.

Mr Quigley questioned any individual's right to judge another on the basis of their religious beliefs and character.

"We have a law in the statute book of Scotland which says you can make such judgments and on these grounds alone deny jobs to people in schools which they themselves are funding through their own rates and taxation," he said.

"Politicians and legislators must give account for this law's fitness to remain on the statute books of Scotland."

Delegates also voted for all remaining asbestos to be removed from schools and backed a campaign to eliminate homophobia.