Headteacher wins unfair dismissal claim

An unfair dismissal claim against Lambeth Council has recently been won by a south London headteacher who said that he was forced out of his position.

The South London Employment Tribunal heard how James Walker was let go from Henry Fawcett Primary School in Kennington in November 2008.

This came a few months after Mr Walker finished a course of chemotherapy that he was undergoing to treat cancer and after he raised issues about the school's budget, as well as claims of bullying that were brought against him.

After winning his constructive unfair dismissal claim, he said that an investigation should look at the people who "pushed" him out of his position.

He said: "If Lambeth's whistle-blowing team had listened and followed the proper procedures, I could have been spared months of misery and isolation and the school could have avoided unnecessary and detrimental upheaval," Thisislondon.co.uk reported.

This year, a dinner lady called Carol Hill won her claim for unfair dismissal, with a judge saying that she should not have been fired from her role.

Published by Phil Hammond