A teacher has received a six-figure damages payout after being assaulted by a pupil wielding a toaster and a chair, according to the NASUWT teachers' union. The teacher was punched and kicked while trying to remove the student from a classroom, sustaining injuries that required surgery.
The payout is part of over £15.4 million that NASUWT secured for its members in 2025, covering claims for unfair dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, personal injury, and health and safety issues. In another case, a six-figure out-of-court settlement was reached for a teacher who contracted leptospirosis due to a rat infestation at their school.
NASUWT general secretary Matt Wrack said: 'If all employers took seriously their duty of care and legal responsibilities to their employees we would not be forced to pursue legal remedies to get redress for members.' He added that many teachers suffer months or years of mental distress, with some unable to return to teaching due to physical injuries or psychological impact.
In a separate incident, a teacher was injured when a whiteboard not properly fixed to a wall fell on them, requiring surgery. The union brought a disability discrimination claim after the teacher was denied access to a suitable toilet on returning to work and moved to a lower-paid role, resulting in a five-figure settlement.
The figures were released ahead of NASUWT's annual conference in Birmingham. Meanwhile, the National Education Union reported that teachers are being kicked, punched, cornered in classrooms, and threatened, with delegates voting for a national campaign to reduce violence in schools. A NASUWT survey found over four in five teachers believe violent and abusive behaviour has increased, with two in five experiencing physical abuse or violence.
