THE region’s biggest teaching union has revealed that it secured more than £1m last year in compensation on behalf of its members in the North-East.

Compensation secured by the union, which has more than 15,000 members in the North-East, totalled £1,736,887 in 2012.

That included a single payment of £268,787 for a 45-year-old teacher who intervened to help a colleague being attacked.

He was kicked repeatedly and also attacked by another pupil. The union said he suffered physical injuries and developed palpitations and panic attacks.

The teacher’s award included compensation for what was described as a “disabling mental illness” and past and future loss of earnings.

It is understood he has now effectively retired from the profession after his employment contract was terminated because of ill-health.

The North-East compensation figure was greater than that paid to NAS/UWT members in Yorkshire and Humberside, which totalled £1,327,991.

This included a £40,000 out-of-court settlement paid to an assistant principal who made subject of separate disciplinary proceedings after complaining that she had been sexually harassed by a male colleague.

Nationally, the NAS/UWT, which is holding its annual conference over Easter, secured more than £15m in compensation for its members last year, a 24 per cent rise on the previous year.

This encompassed a myriad of different claims, including workplace accidents, unlawful deduction of wages, unfair dismissal, breach of contract and discrimination.

The NAS/UWT’s North-East regional organiser Simon Kennedy said: “We would prefer that our members were safe and secure in their working environments and weren’t put in a position where the only outcome for them is to make a claim.

“Money is only paid in extreme situations and many teachers affected in this way have had their careers finished.

“It is not something we celebrate. These kind of issues can be incredibly damaging to teachers who are simply trying to do the best for the pupils in their care.”

Mr Kennedy added: “This is about negligence in many cases and employers need to take a more pro-active approach towards risk management.”