"This violence needs to stop," says Anni Miers.

Anni Miers has been punched, kicked and spat on by students then "shirtfronted" by their furious parents — all for doing her job.

Key points A new report finds almost half of principals were threatened and a third attacked in 2018

The highest number of threats of violence were found in government primary schools

There are calls for community change to prevent future violence

The primary school principal is choosing to speak out now because she is close to retirement and fears for those who will be following in her footsteps.

"These things are traumatic because at that point, we worry about the safety and wellbeing of our whole community," she said.

"At some point the community needs to understand that violence is not an option."

Ms Miers' story is far from isolated.

Other school principals have reported being headbutted, abused and threatened with scissors — usually by students and their parents — with one detailing the moment a parent "nodded at a shotgun on their dashboard as they drove past me slowly and looked at me".

The testimonies have been compiled in the latest annual Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing survey, run by the Australian Catholic University.

The alarming report found 45 per cent of principals were threatened with violence in 2018, and 37 per cent were attacked — a steady rise and the highest levels since the survey began in 2011.

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Threats of violence 37.9 37.4 37.7 35.9 41.1 43.8 44.6 45 Physical violence 27.3 37.9 28.8 27 31.3 33.6 36.1 37

Here are some of the reports from school principals:

"I have PTSD from having a gun pointed at me by a student."

"A parent charged at me, picked up a whiteboard in the foyer and threw it at me."

"I have been pinched, punched, spat at, headbutted and threatened to be stabbed with scissors."

"Kicked and punched by students, verbally abused by parents, physically intimidated. I've spent months at a time dreading the walk out to my car at night."

"From parents I've been stalked by car, tailgated, phone calls with threats to harm, tyre burnouts in school car park after conversations at the car door."

"I have been verbally abused at a whole school sports day because a child was not awarded a first place ribbon when they came third."

"I had a violent student standing in front of myself and the Assistant Principal with two sharp kitchen knives in his hands, threatening to 'cut us'."

"I have been attacked on numerous occasions — attacked by young people to the extent of almost becoming unconscious."

The ACU report found the highest number of threats of violence were in government primary schools, with female staff the most likely to be targeted.

"Clearly, our nation builders are under attack," ACU Associate Professor and survey chief investigator Philip Riley said.

"The steadily increasing levels of offensive behaviour in schools of all types is a disgrace and it needs to stop."

Dr Riley said external pressures could be contributing to the rising incidents of attacks.

"In terms of education, there is a lot of anxiety around things like NAPLAN results, PISA results," he said.

"It has become a competition sport rather than something that's collaborative and that creates a whole lot of anxiety."

He said Australia should adopt a "whole-of-government" approach to education that was bipartisan and transparent, to ensure funding and support was readily available.

The report also recommends more community engagement in stopping violence and the need for an "adult conversation" about the root cause of violent behaviour.