Legal firm describes as “shocking” former staff member’s claim that Michaela free school has still not paid out in her tribunal case

A high-profile free school has still not paid its former office administrator the money an employment tribunal ruled –seven months ago now –that it owed her, Education Uncovered has been told.

Yuri Gonzalez told this website that she still had not received the £2,181.10 the tribunal found she was owed by Michaela Community School in Brent, north London.

The tribunal had found back in May that she should be awarded the money, after the well-known school, which is now routinely described as “Britain’s strictest” and was feted for its exam results this summer, had wrongly dismissed her for gross misconduct.

The school has suggested in recent months that it would not be paying, despite having lost its case against Gonzalez for breach of contract, as its former staff member owed it money.

A legal firm told Education Uncovered that, while sadly it was “not unusual” for an organisation to refuse to pay out following a tribunal judgment, “shockingly in this case the employer seeking to avoid its legal obligations is a public body”. Michaela has not responded to a request for comment on this.