Premier Peter Malinauskas has made it clear he expects major improvements at Golden Grove High School, saying he was “horrified” by the “deplorable violence”.

InDaily yesterday revealed significant violence problems at the school, after obtaining videos of multiple recent brawls filmed and shared among students.

We chose not to publish the disturbing videos in full – instead selecting still images from them and obscuring faces.

Image: Tom Aldahn/InDaily

SA Police says it’s “aware of four incidents involving students at Golden Grove High School”.

“Police are working with staff and students at the high school. No one has been charged with any offending at this time and police continue to investigate the incidents,” SAPOL said in a statement.

Malinauskas said that following discussions between the Government and the Education Department, security guards would be stationed at the school next term after the holidays, which begin tomorrow.

He said an experienced former principal would also be brought in “to support the school’s leadership and provide independent advice to the department on further action required”.

“Seeing this vision of deplorable violence at one of our schools is particularly confronting,” he said.

“There is no place for violence anywhere, let alone in our schools.

“Clearly, there is a need for action.”

Malinauskas said a parent liaison officer would also work with parents and families and a specialist behaviour coach would be introduced for students.

“Images of violence on school grounds horrifies every parent, myself included,” he said.

“Parents and students have the right to expect that schools aren’t just a safe environment, but also a nourishing one which is why, as Premier, I have made it clear I expect serious effort to deliver improvement for staff, students and parents.”

It comes after a parent from the school last week spoke out to InDaily, saying she was too fearful to send her 14-year-old daughter back to school, claiming she was bullied for six months and then beaten up – only to be suspended alongside her attackers.

She has reported the matter to police.

Videos circulated amongst students include a brawl between two boys on Monday last week, with a teacher attempting to intervene ignored by a much bigger student and pushed aside as the fight continues.

A still image from one of the fight videos. Supplied

A second video shows a fight among two boys that occurred on September 14, in which one student marches up to another, pushes him in the back and into a wall and then slams him on the ground.

A third video shows a fight between two girls on August 29, shoving each other and then grabbing and pulling each other in front of several other students.

A still image from one of the fight videos. Supplied

Education Minister Blair Boyer said the footage from the videos was “extremely distressing” and, in some instances, warranted police intervention.

“It’s my understanding that, of the videos the school has been made aware of, the perpetrators and those filming the assaults have been suspended,” he said.

“Let me be very clear, violence has absolutely no place in our schools and it will not be tolerated. I expect that any reports or allegations of bullying are taken seriously and dealt with quickly as soon as school leadership is made aware. It’s incredibly important that parents report any behaviour of concern to the school immediately.

“I take seriously the challenges being experienced at Golden Grove High School, and have always said I won’t hesitate to act if schools need additional support.”

A spokesperson for Boyer said that as well as the measures outlined by the Premier, a further crackdown on mobile phones would occur at the school.

Currently, Year 7 and 8 students are required to hand their phones in at the start of each day and get them back when they leave at 3.10pm.

The restriction will now apply to Year 9 students as well from next year.

“Senior students from Year 10 are allowed to have theirs with them during the day, but put them in a phone tray at the front of the room in each lesson,” the spokesperson said.

The State Government is currently investigating how it will introduce a statewide school mobile phone ban, to meet a previous promise.

A still image from one of the fight videos. Supplied

Boyer said he and department officials had met with Golden Grove High leadership and would remain in regular contact “to ensure we are seeing these incidents addressed in the manner the Chief Executive and I expect”.

“The safety of all students and teachers is my first priority and I will continue to be personally involved in ensuring the school has all the assistance it needs,” he said.

The mother who last week first raised school violence concerns with InDaily welcomed the crisis measures for the school but said it wouldn’t help her family.

“Unfortunately a little too late for my daughter however I know that the measures they are taking, if followed through correctly, will save another student and family from going through what we have gone through,” she said.

The mother said she had removed her daughters from the school and enrolled them to start at a nearby private school next term.

She said that school had promised her it had a “zero tolerance for bullying”.

A letter has been sent to Golden Grove High parents from the Education Department and school principal outlining the new measures to be introduced at the school from next term and stating that “violence or bullying of any kind will not be tolerated at this school”.

The letter says the department will provide an extra senior staff member to “support the school by having a specific focus on student behaviour and leadership to ensure all appropriate measures are being taken to eliminate this type of incident”.

“We will also have security staff at the school in order to support everyone,” the letter says.

“We would urge parents to raise any issues of concerns with the school’s leadership team.”