Teachers sound the alarm as violence rises in primary schools
Health, environment and safeguarding concerns demand urgent investigation
Teachers at Lily Lane Primary School in Manchester and Ravensfield Primary School in Tameside began strike action on 6 January 2026, part of the Changing Lives in Collaboration (CLiC) Trust. NASUWT, the Teachers’ Union, highlighted the unprecedented nature of these strikes, driven by escalating violence, lack of support, and unsafe working and learning conditions.
A powerful NASUWT Facebook post on 7 January described the situation:
“Imagine you are a teacher at a primary school. All you want is to provide a safe, happy environment for the children you teach and to be supported to do your best work. Now imagine that things start to get tough. Really tough. There is far more violence than you expected, more than you can safely manage or contain. You ask your leaders for support. You are ignored. Things get worse. Some of your pupils are really scared. There are more and more days where, frankly, you are scared too. You ask for support again. This time, you are punished. Your stress and anxiety levels are through the roof. You are worried about the wellbeing of the children and your colleagues. Still, all your concerns are ignored. This is what is happening at Lily Lane Primary School and Ravensfield Primary School.”
The NASUWT post included photos from the strike day showing teachers holding signs highlighting the need for safety, support, and respect. Readers can view the original post here:
Facebook NASUWT Strike Post
Strike day photo gallery
While the focus of teachers is rightly on immediate safety and behaviour concerns, the RRT is also raising questions about potential environmental risks in these schools. Preliminary online mapping data suggests that mobile phone masts may be located near both sites, potentially including areas adjacent to playgrounds. Additionally, Wi-Fi systems are widely used in classrooms, often installed without informing parents or seeking consent. Experts warn that cumulative exposure to RF radiation could pose risks to children, particularly those who are more vulnerable, and to staff.
Rising concerns over pupil behaviour, social media, and digital exposure
The NASUWT surveyed 5,800 teacher members in 2025 and found that four in five reported an increase in the number of pupils exhibiting violent and abusive behaviour. Nearly three in five respondents said they believed social media was one of the driving factors behind deteriorating behaviour. A separate poll of 300 members found that 89 per cent would support a statutory social media ban for under-16s.
Behaviour in Schools Key Messages 2025 – NASUWT
The RRT supports parents taking control of their children’s digital exposure, giving them the information needed to make safe choices. However, we remain cautious about legislation such as the Online Safety Act, which, while framed as child protection, could expand into broader restrictions on freedom of speech, access to information, and democratic debate.
Wi-Fi, RF exposure, and environmental concerns in schools
The RRT is concerned about the increasing use of Wi-Fi systems in schools, often installed without informing parents or seeking consent. The UK Government recently announced a £45 million scheme to fund school Wi-Fi upgrades, which experts warn could increase daily RF exposure, placing children, particularly vulnerable pupils, at potential risk.
Preliminary online mapping data suggests that mobile phone masts may be located near Lily Lane and Ravensfield Primary Schools, some potentially adjacent to playground areas. While this information is not confirmed, it raises questions about cumulative exposure in the school environment. The Stewart Report highlights the importance of ensuring that the main beam of base station radiation does not fall on school grounds.
Some children have been recognised as particularly sensitive to Wi-Fi and other RF exposures. For example, a special education plan was awarded in August 2022 to a UK child on the basis of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), allowing schools to implement environmental modifications to protect them. More details can be found here: PHIRE Education and Health Care Plan
Millstead Primary School and Jenny Fry
The RRT has previously called for an independent investigation into the deaths of two children at Millstead Primary School in Liverpool, which remains unanswered.
RRT letter on Millstead School
We also remember Jenny Fry, who reported that her health problems were linked to Wi-Fi and a nearby phone mast at school. Tragically, she took her own life after struggling with these environmental exposures, underscoring the human cost when children’s health concerns are overlooked. Her story highlights why schools must consider environmental health risks alongside safeguarding and wellbeing issues.
Jenny Fry’s mother has expressed her strong support for teachers advocating for healthier and safer learning environments:
“As the mother of Jenny Fry, I fully support teachers who are trying to improve their teaching environment for their own health and wellbeing and for the children in their care. Schools should be safe spaces, free from unnecessary exposure to wireless radiation, and sensitive to children’s physical and mental health needs. I hope steps are taken to reduce risks from Wi-Fi, mobile phone masts, and other environmental factors so that children and staff can thrive safely.” – Debra Fry
Letter to the Union
The EM Radiation Research Trust has formally written to the NASUWT and other union leaders to raise these concerns regarding the health, safety, and learning environment in schools. The letter outlines the potential risks from Wi-Fi, mobile phone masts, and other environmental factors, highlights the PHIRE education plan for a child with electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and recalls the case of Jenny Fry.
A copy of the letter sent to the union can be viewed here:
Independent scientific evidence
Independent scientific evidence highlights the potential risks of long-term exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation from wireless technologies. The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RF radiation as a possible human carcinogen (Class 2B) in 2011, and many experts now advocate upgrading this to Group 1.
Key EMF research resources for further review:
- ♦ EMF-Portal: 48,631 publications and 7,012 study summaries – https://www.emf-portal.org
- ♦ BioInitiative Report – Over 4,000 studies compiled: bioinitiative.org
- ♦ Safer EMR: More than 2,500 abstracts with links to papers – https://www.saferemr.com
- ♦ Powerwatch compilation of research on children and phones – https://www.powerwatch.org.uk/library/downloads/children-phones-3-research-2019-03.pdf
- ♦ Prof M Pall neuro effects study – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26300312/
- ♦ Global Alert: A Planetary Threat Hidden in Plain Sight – https://radiationresearch.org/global-alert-a-planetary-threat-hidden-in-plain-sight/
A comprehensive review by Balmori (2022) examined the effects of mobile phone base stations on humans, including radiofrequency sickness, cancer, and changes in biochemical parameters. Out of 38 studies performed in real urban conditions near base stations, 73.6% showed effects: 73.9% for radiofrequency sickness, 76.9% for cancer, and 75% for biochemical changes.
“For these reasons, the current situation will probably end in a crisis not only for health but also for this technology itself, as it is unsustainable and harmful to the environment and the people.”
— Balmori, 2022
Citation: Balmori, A. (2022). Evidence for a health risk by RF on humans living around mobile phone base stations: From radiofrequency sickness to cancer. Environmental Research, 214, 113851. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.113851
https://ehtrust.org/evidence-for-a-health-risk-by-rf-on-humans-living-around-mobile-phone-base-stations/
This evidence strongly reinforces the need for caution in schools, particularly around children and vulnerable staff, and underlines the urgency of independent investigation and preventive measures.
Call to action
- ♦ Sign the petition on children’s digital health: UK Parliament petition – https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/746235
- ♦ Support the International Declaration on the Human Rights of Children in the Digital Age, which advocates for:
◦ The right to be free from intentionally addictive devices, platforms, and apps
◦ The right to be free from excessive exposure to wireless radiation
◦ The right to be free from commercial exploitation
Become a signatory here: https://www.thechildrensdeclaration.org/become-a-signatory
The RRT encourages parents, teachers, and school communities to take control of children’s health and safety, while authorities and unions work together to investigate both behavioural and environmental concerns in schools.