The husband of a teacher who was brutally attacked at a Carmarthenshire school has made a heartfelt plea for immediate action to address what he describes as a worsening crisis in pupil behaviour across Wales.
Liz Hopkin, a teacher at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman in Ammanford, was one of three victims stabbed during a violent incident in April 2024. The attacker, a teenage pupil whose identity is protected for legal reasons, was sentenced last month to 15 years in detention after being found guilty of three counts of attempted murder.
During the mid-morning break on 24 April, chaos erupted in an outdoor area of the school when the teenager stabbed a pupil and fellow teacher Fiona Elias. Mrs Hopkin rushed to intervene and was stabbed as she tried to restrain the assailant.
John Hopkin, Liz’s husband, described the horrifying scene to Sky News, saying he found his wife “in a pool of blood.”
“Then she just assumed she was dying, so she was just apologising for going,” Mr Hopkin recalled.
“And that’s when, not so much panic hit, but I didn’t really know what was going on after that.”
The attack has left lasting emotional and physical scars. “It’s completely changed our whole life and family life. Physically, [Liz is] recovering but… It’s just knocked her right back, and I think it’s not going to be a quick process to get over that.” Mr Hopkin said.
Mr Hopkin is now urging authorities to launch an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
“I’m not bothered about accountability or blame, and Liz is neither. But what we do want is to see if there was anything that was done wrong to stop it happening again. It won’t happen in Dyffryn Aman, touch wood, but somewhere in Wales and somewhere in England, it will happen again,” he said.
Carmarthenshire County Council has confirmed that an independent review is already underway.
Glynog Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and the Welsh Language, stated the review would “ensure any good practice is highlighted and shared and that any lessons learnt are identified.”
The council is also continuing to offer tailored support to both the victims and the wider school community.
The Welsh Government is holding a summit this week aimed at addressing behaviour in schools. Mr Hopkin hopes this meeting becomes a turning point.
“This needs to be a watershed moment,” he said, warning that the government must act fast.
Having worked in nine secondary schools across Wales, Mr Hopkin stressed the need for consistency in how behaviour is managed.
“Every single school deals with behaviour differently. We’ve got a government that doesn’t want to lead on this and is stopping schools from treating behaviour consistently. It’s a big issue and I don’t think that the summit on its own is going to come up with the answers,” he said.
One of Mr Hopkin’s key proposals is a Wales-wide ban on smartphones in schools. A recent Senedd committee rejected a petition calling for such a ban, recommending instead clearer guidance for schools.
“Banning mobile phones in schools would make a massive difference. And you can see schools that have banned them have found a really positive improvement in behaviour,” he said.
Although England previously considered a similar ban, the plan was dropped. Mr Hopkin believes the problems plaguing Welsh schools mirror those in the rest of the UK.
“I think the Welsh government are reluctant to agree that the problems that are facing Wales are the same as the problems that face anywhere in England, whether it’s in a city or in the countryside. The problems are everywhere, we’re not protected by a big bubble,” he added.
Teaching unions have cautiously welcomed the Welsh Government’s summit but stress that words must be backed by funding.
Nicola Fitzpatrick, interim Wales secretary for the National Education Union (NEU), told Sky News: “Unless increased and sustained investment is secured, then we just hinder the ability of all stakeholders to urgently address the issues in a way that meet the needs of learners, but crucially that keeps all staff and students safe.”
The union is calling for unified guidance that can be applied consistently across all 22 local authorities in Wales.
The Welsh Government, in response, acknowledged the complex societal issues schools now face and confirmed the summit forms part of a broader strategy.
In a statement, it said: “The summit is part of a longer program of work which includes our recent roundtable on violence and safety in schools and colleges and the commitment to provide clear guidance on the use of mobile phones. We are committed to finding solutions in partnership and making the changes needed in our schools.”
As families and educators reel from the impact of this shocking attack, Mr Hopkin’s message is simple but urgent: the system must change — before another tragedy unfolds.
