Michelle Stone, a former headteacher at a special needs school in Dorset, was left wheelchair-bound following a violent attack by a pupil with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The 50-year-old was struck from behind with a wheeled desk chair while working at the school, resulting in severe spinal injuries, broken ribs, and a fractured collarbone.
Mrs. Stone, who had served in her role for seven years, says the assault forced her to leave the profession she loved. Now managing chronic pain and ongoing psychological trauma, including anxiety and disrupted sleep, she faces an uncertain recovery. Despite multiple surgeries and constant medical interventions, her condition is degenerative, and she struggles to return to work in education.
The assault occurred in May 2019 at a special needs school in Lyndhurst, Hampshire during an episode involving a student known for extreme and violent behaviour. Prior to the attack, the student had seriously injured two other staff members, with their challenging behaviour often requiring the involvement of four or five adults simultaneously.
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Mrs. Stone had repeatedly raised urgent concerns with senior leadership since late 2018, warning that the school was ill-equipped to safely manage the student’s complex needs. She had requested additional support and advocated for transferring the pupil to a more specialised facility but says her warnings were ignored.
On the day of the incident, Mrs. Stone intervened to protect colleagues and was struck with the chair, suffering devastating injuries that ended her teaching career prematurely. She now experiences constant pain and relies occasionally on a wheelchair.
Following the attack, Mrs. Stone engaged workplace assault specialist Joanne Soccard of Thompsons Solicitors through the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT). Their legal case argued that the school failed to address known risks, dismissed repeated warnings, and inadequately responded to previous violent incidents. While the school denied liability, it agreed to a six-figure settlement before trial, providing funds for Mrs. Stone’s ongoing treatment and rehabilitation.
Mrs. Stone urges greater parental responsibility and improved safety measures for staff and pupils alike. She emphasizes that while staff were highly trained to handle challenging situations, the behaviour of this particular pupil exceeded what the school could manage safely.
Joanne Soccard highlighted the need for schools to act proactively on known risks to prevent serious harm. “Teachers nationwide face increasingly complex environments without sufficient protection," she said. “If schools care about staff wellbeing, they must learn from cases like this and make changes.”
A Department for Education spokesperson reiterated that violence against teachers is unacceptable and announced initiatives like Behaviour Hubs to tackle issues before they escalate.