'Bullied' teacher wins £86,000 in damages

A teacher forced to retire early with stress after being bullied by her headmistress has won more than £86,000 in damages and legal costs, it emerged today.

Margaret Menzies, 58, who now lives in New Zealand, went on sick leave from her post at Chalgrove Primary School in Barnet, north London in January 2001 and was granted early retirement on health grounds the following September.

She said the four years of bullying she endured at the hands of Valerie Hughes, who resigned in July 2001, had left her incapable of setting foot inside a school since then.

The National Union of Teachers, which backed Ms Menzies' fight for compensation, said the verdict in her favour and the £86,487 payout sent a clear message that bullying of staff would not be tolerated. The union added that the case was the first of its kind.

Extremely tense and frightened
Ms Menzies started work at the school in 1988 when it was considered a successful, happy place. Two years after Mrs Hughes arrived, Barnet's senior primary schools inspector David Burns believed the school was "at risk" and by 2000 it had become a "cause for concern" because of the poor relationships between staff.

One teacher told him the school was "in disarray" and staff were "extremely tense and frightened and that Margaret Menzies was the main focus of this behaviour''.

On one occasion in November 2000 Mrs Hughes refused her permission for a day off to have a scan at hospital, despite having a doctors' letter, and insisted she attend a training morning even though she was required to drink three pints of water before her appointment.

Mrs Hughes also refused to endorse her application for a £2,000 performance pay bonus, saying there was no evidence she deserved it and made Ms Menzies the only member of staff who had to sign off duty at the end of each school day.

Rude, aggresive and intimidatory
Ms Menzies said: "I suffered from the drip, drip effect of undermining, intimidating and unfair treatment. There wasn't a single big event but continuing dismissal of me as a professional. Constant criticism of me behind my back. My every move was wrong in her eyes. She wanted me to leave as 15 other people had in four years.

"I got to the stage where I couldn't sleep and I was losing weight. I was anxious and exhausted and would freeze at the thought of going into school."

Awarding her costs and damages, Judge Brian Knight said Mrs Hughes's actions constituted bullying, harassment and an unacceptable way of carrying out her professional duties.

He said: "Staff morale was low and Valerie Hughes was unapproachable, unfair in her dealings with the claimant and rude, aggressive and intimidatory in her dealings with the claimant, some children and parents."

He delivered his judgement in respect of Ms Menzies's claim that Barnet Council, as her employer, breached its duty of care at Central London County Court in May. Publication of the result was delayed until the amount of her damages was agreed between Barnet and Ms Menzies's lawyers.

Max Herd