A FOREST school has been ordered to pay one of its former teachers more than £71,000 after he was unfairly dismissed.

Mr Gareth Roberts was a science teacher at Whitecross School – now the Dean Academy – in Lydney between 1997 and 2010.

Mr Roberts was awarded £71,380 by an employment tribunal sitting at Bristol which had been convened from an earlier hearing to decide if there had been a fundamental breach of contract relating to a proposed 50 per cent pay cut.

The school conceded liability as the breach of contract was in part a factor leading to Mr Roberts's resignation.

The school says the only issue addressed by the tribunal concerned half pay and that advice had been taken at every stage.

Mr Roberts started looking for another job in 2007 as his relationship with the school's senior management became more difficult.

In a grievance letter of February 2010 he claimed he had been the victim of bullying and deliberate misrepresentation of his character.

He also felt the pay cut was "a personal attack".

Although Mr Roberts wanted to leave at this time but felt unable to go because of his disciplinary record and the situation at that stage – he was on the sick following another disciplinary issue.

The school's case was that Mr Roberts would have resigned anyway at one of several points during the grievance process.

During that time he was offered a temporary post the Hereford Academy.

The tribunal concluded that "...but for the reduction in his pay the claimant (Mr Roberts) would not have resigned at the time that he did and because of his financial position would not have taken the post at the Hereford Academy whilst he was still receiving his full salary with the respondent."

Mr Roberts declined to comment further on the tribunal's findings.

A statement on behalf of the school said: "The only issue addressed by the appeal tribunal was with regard to half pay. At all times Whitecross School acted on advice from the  Local Government Employers body in relation to the administration of teachers' sick pay."