‘End payouts culture’ call after £11,000 bill

The child was paid by council insurers after being scalded in class.

The school has not been named to prevent the youngster being identified.

It was one of several incidents in the last four years at state schools in the Middlesbrough area. Other payments include a £4,250 settlement after a fall at cheerleading practice and £3,750 for a child who trapped fingers in a gate.

James Wharton, Conservative MP for neighbouring Stockton South, said the payments were putting pressure on school budgets.

“This compensation culture has to stop,” he said.

“People should not feel entitled to claim for any minor incident, though of course where there has been a serious injury there needs to be redress.

“At a time when public finances are tight these sorts of claims bring our whole legal system into disrepute, this is money which could have been spent on frontline services or reducing the council tax burden for local people.”

A Middlesbrough Council spokesman said it had accepted liability on the claims before the cases reached court and agreed “appropriate compensation” with the claimants’ representatives.