Schools compensation bill tops £1m

The bill for compensation paid out by Northern Ireland schools has hit a five-year high.

Teachers blamed claims by parents against staff for the rise to more than £1 million sterling last year, revealed in an Assembly written answer this week.

Anything from slipping on a floor to a serious accident on a school trip can spark legal proceedings, and teachers' unions said members had been left fearing the next solicitor's letter.

Seamus Searson, Northern Ireland organiser at NASUWT, said: "It is a sad reflection on society that parents want to sue if anything happens. Sometimes the only reason for doing it is to get something.

"As teachers we feel that sometimes accidents are accidents and that is why we advise people not to take children away on school trips." The response from Education Minister Caitriona Ruane followed a written question from DUP MLA Mervyn Storey.

A total of £4.1 million has been spent in the last five years with the tally for last year alone standing at just over £1 million. The statistics also included claims by staff and visitors to schools.

Mr Searson added: "Teachers have to take every precaution, we always have risk assessments but it becomes an unwieldy mechanism. "We don't want to see teachers in court on negligence claims but some of the claims would be for things like faulty furniture and slipping on floors.

"Most of the boards try to stop the claim at an early stage, when it is at a relatively low cost. Some people know that the boards take this pragmatic approach."

PA