Teacher Walked Away With Brain Injuries and Loss of Vision After Student Attacked Her | UK News

A teacher who was attacked by a student and left with life-changing injuries has been awarded six figures in compensation.

The East England teacher suffered a brain injury, loss of vision in her left eye, loss of hearing in her left ear, bleeding kidneys, a damaged bladder and mental injuries.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) says this horrific case, in which the teacher was paid £350,000, made up part of the more than £15.1million in settlements she filed for her members last year had received.

The payouts – which relate to cases where education staff have been awarded settlements over injuries, discrimination, workplace bullying or contractual disputes – were announced ahead of the union’s annual conference, which was held in Glasgow this Easter.

In another case, a teacher from the south-east of England was awarded £100,000 after a pupil kicked her in the head with a football on her way to her classroom.

She fell and lost consciousness, and the long-term effects of her injuries meant she had to retire for health reasons.

The union also secured £115,000 for a Yorkshire teacher who was sacked after suffering from work-related stress following a reorganization.

She had to take on a job that consisted of three merged roles and required significant additional management responsibilities.

She was placed in a sick-monitoring program after being absent from work due to stress from the “excessive workload,” which led to her being fired.

Patrick Roach, the union’s general secretary, said: “The level of compensation we have achieved for teachers who have suffered physical and mental harm, discrimination and abuse at work is an indictment of an education system that is failing in its duty of care Profession.

“No amount of compensation can offset the often devastating effects of physical and mental injuries at work.

“Teachers have the right to be treated with dignity and to be safe when they go to work. NASUWT will never hesitate to take legal action when employers fail to meet their duty of care to their employees.’

Meanwhile, teachers will strike again in April and May after members of the National Education Union overwhelmingly rejected a government contract.

The next industrial action for education workers is scheduled for April 27 and May 2.

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