Data from the Western Australian Education Department has shown a spike in the number of public school students suspended for assaulting or intimidating school staff.

The troubling finding comes with new departmental figures, which showed close to 2,000 students had been suspended for assault or intimidation in 2013.

Last year’s numbers were 200 more than in 2012 and nearly 500 more than in 2011.

The attacks were aimed at both teachers and support staff, and came alongside a drop in the overall number of suspensions.

An Education Department spokesperson told reporters this week that the worrying spike was a reflection of a wider lack of respect for authority and use of physical violence in the community.

Suspensions for assaults or intimidation of staff constituted 7.6 per cent of all suspensions in 2013.

About 17 per cent were for verbal abuse or harassment of staff, while assault or intimidation of students made up 30.1 per cent.