Teachers received more than £16 million in compensation during 2015 for injuries, stress and discrimination suffered at work.

The figures, released by the teachers’ union NASUWT, show that £16,077,238 was paid out to members during the year.

One example includes a teacher who was awarded £185,000 after being knocked to the ground by unruly pupils, resulting in a slipped disc.

In another case, a teacher received £100,000 after hitting his head on a concrete floor when a chair he was sitting on, which was missing three bolts, collapsed.

£46,000 was awarded to a teacher who suffered severe psychological injury following “a sustained campaign of bullying and harassment by senior leadership”.

NASUWT general secretary, Chris Keates, said the incidence of injuries would be lowered if employers “took the welfare of staff seriously and adhered to best practice in terms of health and safety procedures”.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “School employers are responsible for the health and safety of staff and pupils whether the local authority, governing body or academy trust, and they must adhere to the Health and Safety Act 1974.”

Ellis Whittam has a nationwide team of Health & Safety Consultants and dedicated team of Employment Law Advisers who specialise in supporting education providers to help prevent such incidents. Please read more here and contact us if you would like to find out more about our services tailored specifically for the education sector.