A Steiner kindergarten in Berlin Getty
A Steiner school - which teaches through play and practical hands-on activities like gardening and food preparation - is facing a huge compensation claim from an ex-member of its staff.
Jo Sawfoot, 42, worked at the Norfolk Initiative Steiner School kindergarten at the same time as her six-year-old daughter was a pupil. Miss Sawfoot claims that the school's bosses failed to investigate her allegations that another teacher, Anna Letts, had assaulted her daughter.
She told an employment tribunal that the school misled social services by claiming incorrectly that her daughter had to be restrained after biting a staff member.
Miss Sawfoot told the hearing that she was regarded as an 'irritant' at the school, and after the assault on her daughter she had no option other than to resign and educate her child elsewhere.
Other parents came out in support of Miss Sawfoot, who has 14 years teaching experience, saying she had been bullied.
Her complaint of constructive dismissal has now been upheld by the Norwich tribunal hearing. It ruled that her daughter was 'inappropriately restrained' by Miss Letts and that Miss Sawfoot was mistreated by the school after she complained.
She is now expected to receive damages of up to £100,000 for loss of earnings and injury to feelings.