As someone who felt first-hand the sting of workplace bullying, I’m urging for the introduction of standards to monitor the use of settlement agreements in our educational institutions. I experienced a sustained bullying campaign by my Headteacher and was subsequently offered a steep £30,000 settlement agreement, aimed to suppress my voice about this misconduct. This is taxpayers money which should be funding educational resources, not covering up for inappropriate management and bullies to act inappropriately to others.

Unfortunately, my story is far from unique, and many others suffer in silence due to the use of such agreements to conceal a more systemic issue. When I went public about my experience of bullying, I received over 500 direct messages on Twitter from other Teachers and support staff who have experienced bullying by senior leaders and felt they were presented no other option than to sign a settlement agreement with non disclosure aspects to them. Many shared my experience of having suicidal thoughts and never feeling psychologically able to teach in a classroom again. Some Teachers have been blacklisted by certain Academy Trusts for whistleblowing safeguarding issues. References are also used as a form of attack or blackmail to stop a victim from speaking out.

The Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service (ACAS) reported a 35% increase in the calls related to bullying in workplaces in the UK over the past three years, and teachers are at the heart of these distressing statistics (BBC News, 2021). There is a teacher retention crisis and the new Labour Government need to understand that adult workplace bullying in education is a key factor in the crisis.

Through this petition, we request stricter checks, collection of data and balances for the use of such agreements in our educational institutions. The Department for Education doesn’t currently monitor this information leaving Academy Trusts as a law unto themselves. Reinforce transparency in our schools and protect teachers from bullying and intimidation. Stand with us against under-the-table agreements that shroud the truth. Your voice can make a difference. Sign the petition today.