‘I was called curry lover and humiliated by other teachers’: The toxic truth about staffroom bullying
Warning: This story contains references to suicide along with racist and sexist language readers may find distressing.
When Maya* started a new teaching job, she did not expect to be called the n-word as she walked down the corridor.
The bullying from her fellow teachers proved relentless. She was called a “curry lover” and believes she was hidden from meeting parents at one point due to her skin colour.
It was not just racism she faced there but also sexism. Male colleagues told her she would have to “bend over a desk to get a promotion” and had “blowjob lips”. Incidents like these happened “almost every day”, she says.
Eventually forced to leave her job, Maya signed a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) making her unable to speak about the abuse she suffered. As part of the conditions of her exit, she also received a significant payout, which she describes as “money to keep quiet”.
Sky News has spoken to over 320 current and former teachers from state, private and special schools across the UK, who allege having been bullied at work. Among those, 119 say they signed NDAs and received payouts ranging from the low thousands to tens of thousands of pounds in compensation.
Sky News has calculated that the total amount of money paid to these teachers is more than £1.73m.
This is taxpayers’ money meant for school budgets, which is instead being used to pay teachers to leave. We cannot verify when the earliest of these payments was made, but most were completed within the last decade.
The National Education Union, the UK’s largest education union, confirmed that the “vast majority” of financial settlements included NDAs.
NDAs used to ‘cover up’ bullying
The use of these NDAs was “not appropriate,” said Phil Clarke, the NEU National president. He added that the use of them was “covering up” or preventing further investigation into whether “it was appropriate for the individual, and an appropriate use of public money, for them to be paid to exit a school”.
Maya says she felt there was no other option but to accept the payment and NDA to escape the bullying, which left her feeling “worthless, sad and suicidal”.
Over a third of the teachers we spoke to have experienced similar thoughts and made plans to harm themselves to escape the bullying. A handful have gone as far as trying to end their lives.
It’s a familiar story for Tracy*, who says she “drove into school each morning willing myself to have an accident so I didn’t have to go in”.
Suicidal after management bullying
A teacher for 25 years, she loved her job and rose to a senior leadership position. Tracy says that during a move to change the school to an academy, she was “targeted” and bullied by the new management because she “questioned the direction” they were taking.
In her role, Tracy says she was privy to the “tactics” used on other members of staff and so when she was put on a performance plan, she knew it was “code for you don’t fit, we want you out”.
She told Sky News the “impact [of bullying] was such that I was suicidal and fundamentally unable to function at even the simplest level for a period of time”.
Tracy was also paid out and signed an NDA.
Among the teachers we spoke to, the academisation of schools came up repeatedly as a catalyst for bullying.
A school might become an academy by choice or if they are rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted. Teachers say they are run as businesses, with CEOs and a board, without the due care for teachers.
‘Power imbalance’ between teachers and heads
Speaking to Sky News, the National Education Union confirmed that the growth of multi-academy trusts has contributed to a “significant” power imbalance between management and teaching staff.
Phil Clarke, the NEU National President said academies are run as a “corporate system”, but “without the safeguards and professional respect that corporate environments would provide”.
Responding to the findings of this investigation, he confirmed that schools are becoming “more authoritarian places to work”.
How this culture of bullying is fixed is a complex question with no easy answer.
Attitudes need to change
Teachers throughout this investigation say that attitudes from senior leaders and managers need to change. The National Education Union says headteachers are under immense pressure from Ofsted, which can lead to this approach towards getting rid of staff.
Ofsted declined to comment on the findings of our investigation. Instead, a spokesperson said they always seek to minimise “undue pressure on those we work with” and that they were “ready to hear feedback, accept criticism and reform”.
Appealing directly to the government, Maya asked for the abolition of NDAs within schools, so teachers could speak out without “legal repercussions”.
Responding to this investigation Education Minister, Catherine McKinnell, said: “All school staff should feel safe and supported at work, and confident in being able to report concerns – and we expect school leaders as employers to take appropriate action to tackle any issues that are raised.
“For our part, we are determined to reset the relationship with education workforces so together we can drive high and rising standards across our schools.
“We have also worked in partnership with the education sector and mental health experts to create the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter – and encourage schools to sign up as a shared commitment to promote staff wellbeing.”
*Names have been changed
If you are a teacher and have had experiences similar to those discussed above and are willing to share them please email us at Sky.Today@sky.uk
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
UK
Newcastle: Three men arrested in connection with deadly house explosion and on suspicion of cannabis production
Three men have been arrested in connection with a deadly house explosion in Newcastle.
Seven-year-old Archie York and Jason Laws, who was in his 30s, were killed following the blast in Violet Close, in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city in October.
Police said at the time that six others were taken to hospital “with varying injuries” after the blast and subsequent fire.
Three men – two in their 30s and one in his 50s – have been arrested on suspicion of two counts of manslaughter, and the production of a Class B drug, namely cannabis, Northumbria Police said.
They all remain in police custody.
Detective Chief Inspector Katie Smith said: “This has been a truly tragic incident which resulted in the loss of two lives.
“As a result of our ongoing enquiries, three men have today been arrested in connection with the explosion.
“Our investigation will remain ongoing as we seek to provide answers to what has happened.
“We would continue to ask people to avoid speculation surrounding this incident both online and in the community.”
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From October: Deadly blast destroys Newcastle house
The blast tore through a row of six properties divided into two flats each.
Drone footage showed how six flats in the middle of the building appeared to have been completely destroyed by the explosion and fire, while piles of debris could be seen in the street outside.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Superintendent Darren Adams, from Northumbria Police, said on the day of the fire: “As a result of the incident in the early hours of this morning, a seven-year-old boy has sadly passed away.
“Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he tragically died at the scene.
“This is a truly devastating outcome.”
Prince William has given an update on the Princess of Wales’s health, describing her as “amazing”.
Ahead of tonight’s Earthshot Prize awards in Cape Town, he was asked how his wife Kate was doing and replied: “She’s doing really well thanks. Hopefully she’s watching tonight and cheering me on.
“She’s been amazing this whole year and I know she’ll be really keen to see tonight be a success.”
Kate revealed in March she was having preventative chemotherapy following the discovery of pre-cancerous cells.
In September, she announced she had completed her treatment and said her focus now is on “staying cancer free”.
Throughout the year, Prince William hasn’t discussed his wife’s diagnosis, despite still continuing with his own public duties.
William and Kate at a community engagement last month. Pic: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace
William answered questions after taking part in rehearsals for tonight’s Earthshot Awards, the environmental prize he launched in 2021 to try to inject some optimism into the climate crisis debate.
Since he’s been in Cape Town he’s been spotted wearing a bracelet with the word ‘papa’ on it, given to him by his daughter Princess Charlotte.
He explained: “This is a relic from a Taylor Swift concert that my daughter decided that she wanted to create a bracelet for, and she gave it to me when I came away so I’ve promised her that I’d wear it and try not to lose it while I was out here.”
He also shared how he’s trying to make sure his three children feel involved in his environmental work, including doing things around the house.
The Prince of Wales in Cape Town today. Pic: PA
The prince said: “Every family tries to do what they can to help with the environment and we go through the basics of recycling and making sure we minimise water use, turning lights off when you leave the house. We’re sensible with what we do around the environment. I think every family has those conversations.
“The Earthshot is trying to be more global than that – we’re trying to do big-scale ambition and business. I’ve brought the children along on that journey and I hope they’re proud of what we are trying to do here which is to galvanise that energy and enthusiasm to make real impact.”
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Asked about the tough political climate for the environment right now, Prince William didn’t make any comment about the US election result and Donald Trump’s climate credentials, but said: “Everyone wants some hope and some optimism and Earthshot comes with urgent optimism.
“And as you’ll see tonight the amount of youth from Africa who will be in here – they’ll be letting you know and letting everyone know that it matters to them.
“Without them, the future is looking pretty bleak so these are the game changers, the innovators, the inventors who are going to make the world a better place for us in future.”
The annual Earthshot Prize awards five entrepreneurs, innovators, startups or conservationists with £1m each to help scale their ideas to tackle some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues.
This is the fourth year the awards have been held.
Sara Sharif’s father has told a court he did not beat the 10-year-old girl, claiming his wife was “very, very, crazy” and accusing her of abuse.
Taxi driver Urfan Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool and brother Faisal Malik are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of Sara’s murder in August last year.
Sara was found dead in bed at the family’s home in Woking, Surrey, after Sharif called police from Pakistan and said he had beaten her “too much”.
A post-mortem found dozens of injuries, including burns and human bite marks.
Giving evidence in court on Wednesday, Sharif said: “Everything happened at home while I was at work.
“I did not beat her, do anything to her.”
(L-R) Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik deny murder. Pics: Surrey Police
In WhatsApp messages to her sisters, Batool claimed her husband had beaten his daughter “like crazy” over at least two years.
Sharif denied this and instead alleged his wife – who was Sara’s stepmother – was “very, very crazy”, highlighting video evidence allegedly showing she abused him.
He said he recorded the incidents “so that she (would) leave me alone” and “stop what she was doing”.
The taxi driver alleged his wife did not “care about anything at all” and claimed her family said: “Someone has done black magic on her.”
Sharif became emotional as he told jurors: “I used to jump through the kitchen window as she would lock the front door.
“Most of the time when she was angry, I jumped through the living room window.”
Read more from the trial:
Father begged to save Sara Sharif, defence says
Sara’s stepmother cries as video shows girl dancing ‘days before murder’
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The court was shown two videos from Sharif’s Google drive. One was filmed in February 2016 after his wife accused him of flirting with a hospital nurse, he said.
In the video, he could be heard saying: “You are pushing me. You are abusing me. Get off me.
“You are hitting me. I’m going to use this as evidence I’m telling you now.”
Batool demanded for him to stop filming and said: “I ain’t scared of you.”
Addressing what the video showed, Sharif told the court: “She kicked me. I ran to the other room, she is standing in front of the door so I cannot leave.”
A second video, dated 26 June 2019, saw Sharif repeatedly asking his wife to “let me go” before jumping out of a window.
He told jurors Batool “slapped” him, adding: “You have a choice either to fight with that person or leave.
“I tried to leave but she locked the front door. I jumped through the kitchen window.”
Sharif, 42, Batool, 30, and Malik, 29, deny murder and causing or allowing the death of a child between 16 December 2022 and 9 August 2023.
The trial continues.
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