Carmen Wood-Hope Awarded £370K After ‘Cruel’ Dismissal by Salford Headteacher

A respected primary school teacher Carmen Wood-Hope has been awarded £370,000 after a court found that her headteacher deliberately forced her out of her job in an act of revenge.

Carmen Wood-Hope, described as a “highly competent” educator, was unfairly dismissed from The Friars Primary School in Salford by headteacher Michael Earnshaw. The reason? She challenged his decision to carry out unannounced classroom observations, which broke long-standing school agreements.

A “Dictatorial” Approach

Mr Earnshaw became headteacher in September 2018 and quickly announced that he would start observing lessons without warning teachers ahead of time. Ms Wood-Hope, who was also the school’s union representative for the National Education Union (NEU), spoke up against the plan, saying it went against agreed protocols.

Staff supported her, and the situation became so tense that it led to a strike ballot.

Eventually, Mr Earnshaw agreed to give teachers five days’ notice, but the damage was done. According to a tribunal, he then began a “deliberate campaign” to force Ms Wood-Hope out of the school.

A Targeted Campaign

The tribunal heard how Mr Earnshaw:

• Falsely accused Ms Wood-Hope of misconduct

• Put her on a performance plan, despite her strong teaching record

• Continued to discipline her even while she was off work with stress-related illness

• After she was sacked in December 2020, he provided negative and false references to other schools, labeling her a “safeguarding risk” without evidence.

Because of this, Ms Wood-Hope struggled to find work and had to sell her house due to financial pressure. She also developed depression.

Tribunal: “Cruel, Unlawful, and Personal”

Employment Judge Marion Batten ruled that Mr Earnshaw’s actions were “cruel, unlawful, and wrong.” She said it was clear that his behavior was driven by personal animosity, especially after Ms Wood-Hope stood up to him in her role as a union rep.

“He didn’t like that the union was stopping him from having full control,” the judge said.

The judge also found that Mr Earnshaw continued to try and damage Ms Wood-Hope’s career, even after firing her, by giving unfounded and damaging references to future employers.

Justice Served

Ms Wood-Hope, who had worked at the school since 2014 and was part of its senior leadership team, successfully sued the school for:

• Unfair dismissal

• Trade union victimisation

• Disability discrimination (due to her mental health struggles)

She was awarded £370,563 in compensation.

A Final Note

Despite the controversy, The Friars Primary School was rated “Good” in its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024. However, this ruling highlights the serious consequences of workplace bullying and the importance of protecting employees who speak up.