School's payouts to avoid tribunal revealed

St Chad's Academies Trust oversees St Jude's CE Primary Academy and Trinity CE Primary Academy in Wolverhampton

A Wolverhampton primary school has paid out more than £19,000 in settlements to three staff members in order to avoid cases reaching an employment tribunal.

In 2020, Trinity CE Primary Academy paid two staff members £8,450, while in 2022, one staff member was paid £10,851, according to a response to a Freedom of Information request.

St Chad's Academies Trust, which oversees the school, suspended two members of staff in September following a "disclosure from a whistleblower".

The trust said settlement agreements were "a tool available to HR teams to achieve consensual and cost-effective resolution".

It is understood that more than 30 teachers have left St Chad's Academies Trust, which also oversees St Jude's CE Primary Academy, in recent years.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked the trust how much was paid to current or former staff members to settle a case in order to prevent it going to an employment tribunal.

This type of payment can be used by organisations to resolve disputes amicably, which can help avoid the costs and public exposure of the employment tribunals.

In response the trust said: "The trust provided the information required in response to the Freedom of Information request, as we are obliged to complete, relating to sums paid; we have neither provided reasons why settlements were reached, nor names.

"The trust has nothing further to add about the suspension, in time there will be public disclosure, as determined, and required."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.