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£300,000 payouts to teachers attacked by pupils
Last updated at 00:22am on 28.02.08
Payout: Teachers who have been attacked by pupils have received more than £30,000 in compensation
Figures obtained using the Freedom of Information Act show £313,757 was paid in 25 claims during the school year from September 2006 to September 2007.
A teaching assistant from York received the top payout of £82,560 after being knocked out by an autistic child and suffering permanent vision damage.
In Wiltshire, a teacher who waged a six-year legal fight after an attack in which a chair was thrown received the second highest payout of £56,094.
A member of staff in Norfolk received £42,516 after a four-year legal wrangle for injuries suffered while separating two fighting pupils.
The Teacher Support Network says 92 per cent of staff were verbally abused and 49 per cent attacked with furniture, knives and even a gun last year.
Chief executive Patrick Nash said: "Cases of extreme violence are rare, but the impact can be devastating.
"These incidents often cause teachers to lose confidence and lead to anxiety or depression.
"Some teachers are unable to face going back to the classroom and end up leaving the profession altogether."
