Huge rise in pay-offs for bad teachers: Use of golden goodbyes soar five-fold in a year

In return for a big pay-off, the teachers promise not to complain about their former employer or take them to a tribunal

Schools are giving golden goodbyes to soaring numbers of bad teachers.

The use of so-called compromise agreements has risen five-fold in the past year according to one union official.

In return for a big pay-off, the teachers promise not to complain about their former employer or take them to a tribunal.

The rise of the agreements suggests headmasters are taking a harder line on weak staff in the face of tougher Ofsted inspections.

But the deals were likened to ‘rewards for failure’ yesterday.

‘If a teacher is not up to the job, they should expect to be out on their ear – not in a position to negotiate a five-figure lump sum to send them on their way,’ said Matthew Sinclair of the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

‘The unions would do well to remember that every pound spent on paying off poor teachers is a pound less available to be spent on educating children, which surely ought to be their top priority.’  (more...)

Huge rise in pay-offs for bad teachers: Use of golden goodbyes soar five-fold in a year