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Sector Report

Education Tribunal Data Analysis

Employment Tribunal decisions and outcome patterns in the Education sector from the last 12 months.

236Cases Analysed (Last 12 Months)

Final Education decisions with at least one determined claim.

29%Success Factor

Proportion of cases won or split/upheld in our database.

71%Dismissal Rate

Cases lost or struck out due to procedural/jurisdictional issues.

↑ Strongest IndicatorRedundancy Pay (78% Success)
↓ Weakest IndicatorHarassment (8% Success)

Search by Claim Type

Unfair DismissalConstructive DismissalDiscriminationRedundancy PayUnpaid WagesWhistleblowingBreach of ContractHarassment

Showing 22 cases from the last 2 months.

Employers in recent Education decisions

Browse the latest published decisions for employers represented in this sector sample.

LIFE Multi Academy TrustUniversity of KentKew CollegeUniversity of StrathclydeUniversity of SalfordHaberdashers’ Aske’s Federation TrustTrustees of St Joseph's Specialist TrustLeeds Islamic CentreThe Governing Body of Woodlands Meed School West Sussex County CouncilSwansea UniversityCreative Education Trust T/a Caister AcademyWirral Metropolitan College
23 Sept 2026
Mixed outcome

Discrimination and Harassment

The Tribunal found that the respondent discriminated against the claimant in relation to the sending of a letter of 15 December 2022, but dismissed all other claims of discrimination, harassment, and victimisation, resulting in a split overall outcome with remedy reserved.

Legal Issues (10)
  • Disability discrimination under sections 15
  • 20-21
  • 26
  • 27 of the Equality Act 2010
  • constructive knowledge of disability
  • proportionality
  • reasonable adjustments
  • harassment
  • victimisation
  • causation and influence of protected acts

Reference: 2600754/2023

11 Sept 2026
Mixed outcome

Discrimination and Whistleblowing

The tribunal partially struck out some whistleblowing and victimisation claims for non-compliance, while leaving other claims pending.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Strike out for non-compliance with tribunal orders
  • deposit order
  • time limits

Reference: 6018012/2024

6 Sept 2026
Mixed outcome

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination, Unpaid Wages, Whistleblowing and Harassment

The tribunal dismissed the unfair dismissal, notice pay, arrears of pay and public interest disclosure detriment claims as out of time, but allowed the race discrimination and harassment claims to proceed to a final hearing.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Late presentation of claims
  • whether it is just and equitable to extend time for discrimination claims
  • jurisdiction to hear out-of-time claims

Reference: 6019888/2025

27 Aug 2026
Dismissed on jurisdiction

Discrimination

The Employment Tribunal dismissed the claim because it had no jurisdiction, as the claim falls under Part 6 (Education) of the Equality Act 2010 and must be brought in the Sheriff Court.

Legal Issues (6)
  • Whether the Employment Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear a disability discrimination claim brought by a student against a university
  • where the claim relates to the provision of education and vocational training. The key legal points are: (1) the distinction between Part 5 (Work) and Part 6 (Education) of the Equality Act 2010
  • (2) the effect of section 54(4)(c) and section 56(5) EqA
  • which exclude universities from being treated as qualifications bodies or employment service providers in respect of their educational functions
  • (3) the application of Nwabueze v University of Law and Blackwood v Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
  • (4) whether the claimant could be considered a worker under section 83(2)(a) EqA

Reference: 8000711/2025

25 Aug 2026
Mixed outcome

Unfair Dismissal, Unpaid Wages, Whistleblowing and Breach of Contract

The breach of contract claim was struck out due to the claimant's scandalous conduct and persistent non-compliance, while the remaining claims were not struck out but are subject to an unless order for witness statement exchange.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Strike out under Rule 38 for scandalous conduct
  • non-compliance
  • inability to have fair hearing
  • unless order
  • costs hearing

Reference: 6011717/2024

24 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Discrimination, Harassment and Other

All complaints of direct race discrimination, harassment and victimisation were dismissed as not well-founded after a full merits hearing.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Direct race discrimination (section 13 Equality Act 2010)
  • harassment related to race (section 26)
  • victimisation (section 27). The Tribunal also considered time limits under section 123

Reference: 2303059/2023

21 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal, Constructive Dismissal, Discrimination, Unpaid Wages, Whistleblowing and Breach of Contract

All claims were either withdrawn by the claimant or dismissed on their merits or for being presented outside the applicable time limits.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Time limits for whistleblowing and discrimination claims
  • constructive dismissal
  • withdrawal of claims

Reference: 2305778/2024

21 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal

Claimants failed to prove they were employees under s.230 ERA, so their unfair dismissal claims were dismissed.

Legal Issues (7)
  • Employee status under s.230 Employment Rights Act 1996
  • mutuality of obligation
  • control
  • personal service
  • application to amend claims
  • adjournment application
  • balance of prejudice

Reference: 1800620/2025

20 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Other

The claimant withdrew his claim, it was dismissed on withdrawal, and the reconsideration application was refused because there was no reasonable prospect of the judgment being varied or revoked in the interests of justice.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Reconsideration under Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure 2024 rule 70(2)
  • whether dismissal on withdrawal should be varied or revoked
  • reasonable adjustments for hearing format
  • alleged pressure to withdraw
  • treatment of witness statements

Reference: 2304621/2024

18 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal, Discrimination, Breach of Contract and Other

The claimant materially breached the unless order prohibiting direct contact with the respondent, and the tribunal declined to set aside the order, resulting in the automatic dismissal of all claims.

Legal Issues (7)
  • Unless order
  • material breach
  • relief from sanction
  • overriding objective
  • autistic spectrum disorder as mitigating factor
  • deliberate non-compliance
  • strike out for procedural default

Reference: 1603466/2025

17 Aug 2026
Outcome unclear

Discrimination

The Tribunal struck out one claim on procedural grounds and made preliminary findings on disability, but did not determine the remaining substantive claims.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Determination of disability status under s.6 Equality Act 2010
  • date of onset of physical impairment
  • strike-out of a claim based on an act occurring before the disability arose

Reference: 6005530/2025

14 Aug 2026
Dismissed on jurisdiction

Unfair Dismissal and Discrimination

The claimants' claims for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination were dismissed because they were presented out of time and no extension was granted.

Legal Issues (2)
  • Time limits for unfair dismissal under section 111 Employment Rights Act 1996 (reasonable practicability test) and for disability discrimination under section 123 Equality Act 2010 (just and equitable extension). Consideration of the claimants' profound deafness and communication barriers
  • the burden of proof on the claimants

Reference: 2402347/2025

13 Aug 2026
Dismissed on jurisdiction

Discrimination, Unpaid Wages, Whistleblowing, Breach of Contract and Harassment

All claims dismissed because the Tribunal lacked jurisdiction: they were presented out of time and no extension was warranted.

Legal Issues (5)
  • Time limits for Employment Tribunal claims
  • reasonable practicability test (Lowri Beck Services)
  • just and equitable extension for discrimination claims
  • lack of specification in pleadings
  • jurisdiction to hear claims

Reference: 8002992/2025

12 Aug 2026
Mixed outcome

Discrimination, Breach of Contract, Harassment and Other

The claimant won on discrimination arising from disability and wrongful dismissal, but lost on harassment, reasonable adjustments, and failure to provide written particulars; direct discrimination was withdrawn.

Legal Issues (6)
  • Discrimination arising from disability (s.15 EqA 2010)
  • failure to make reasonable adjustments
  • harassment related to disability
  • direct discrimination
  • wrongful dismissal/breach of contract
  • failure to provide written statement of particulars

Reference: 2600798/2024

12 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal and Breach of Contract

Neither claim succeeded: the unfair dismissal claim was struck out and the breach of contract claim was dismissed. Both claims are finally disposed of.

Legal Issues (2)
  • The unfair dismissal claim was struck out for lack of jurisdiction due to insufficient service (less than two years). The breach of contract claim was dismissed on the merits
  • but the source does not provide the reasons for that dismissal

Reference: 6008809/2026

10 Aug 2026
Mixed outcome

Whistleblowing

The Claimant succeeded on 11 out of 14 detriment complaints for whistleblowing, but the claim is not yet complete as a remedy hearing is pending.

Legal Issues (6)
  • Whistleblowing detriment under s.47B Employment Rights Act 1996
  • protected disclosures
  • causation and burden of proof
  • groupthink/organisational enmity
  • ghost-writing of responses
  • time limits and series of acts

Reference: 3307960/2023

10 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal and Whistleblowing

The claimant did not make a protected disclosure and her dismissal for gross misconduct was fair.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Whether the claimant's email constituted a protected disclosure under section 43B ERA 1996
  • whether the dismissal for misconduct was fair under section 98 ERA 1996
  • time limits for detriment claim

Reference: 6021217/2024

7 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal

The Tribunal found that the respondent acted reasonably in treating redundancy as a sufficient reason for dismissal, and the dismissal fell within the band of reasonable responses.

Legal Issues (4)
  • Reasonableness of redundancy dismissal under section 98(4) Employment Rights Act 1996
  • including adequacy of consultation
  • selection pool composition
  • search for alternative employment

Reference: 6030814/2025

3 Aug 2026
Claimant won£4,118.44 awarded

Redundancy Pay and Breach of Contract

The claimant succeeded on both claims for breach of contract (notice pay) and redundancy payment, with the respondent failing to respond.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Default judgment under rule 22
  • breach of contract for notice
  • entitlement to redundancy payment

Reference: 3304355/2025

3 Aug 2026
Mixed outcome

Unfair Dismissal, Constructive Dismissal, Discrimination, Unpaid Wages, Breach of Contract and Harassment

The claimant succeeded in victimisation, constructive unfair dismissal, holiday pay, notice pay, and SSP claims, but failed in disability discrimination and harassment claims.

Legal Issues (7)
  • Disability definition under s6 Equality Act 2010
  • victimisation
  • constructive dismissal
  • unfair dismissal
  • unlawful deductions from wages
  • holiday pay
  • notice pay

Reference: 2305628/2024

3 Aug 2026
Claim dismissed

Unfair Dismissal and Discrimination

All claims were finally determined against the claimant: the unfair dismissal claim was struck out for lack of jurisdiction and the discrimination claims were dismissed on the merits.

Legal Issues (3)
  • Section 108 Employment Rights Act 1996 (qualifying period for unfair dismissal)
  • burden of proof and elements of direct discrimination (Equality Act 2010) and victimisation
  • strike-out for lack of jurisdiction

Reference: 3301513/2024

3 Aug 2026
Claim struck out

Other

The claim was struck out because the claimant failed to attend the hearing, respond to correspondence, or object to the proposed strike out.

Legal Issues (1)
  • Strike out under Rule 38 of the Employment Tribunal Rules for failure to actively pursue the claim and non-compliance with case management orders

Reference: 6028572/2025