header-logo header-logo

Negligence—Duty to take care—Non-delegable duty

01 November 2013
Issue: 7582 / Categories: Case law , Law reports , In Court
printer mail-detail

Woodland v Essex County Council [2013] UKSC 66, [2013] All ER (D) 252 (Oct)

Supreme Court, Lady Hale DP, Lord Clarke, Lord Wilson, Lord Sumption, Lord Toulson SCJJ, 23 Oct 2013

The duty of care owed by a school to children undergoing swimming lessons inside school hours is non-delegable. 

Christopher Melton QC and Ian Little (instructed by Pannone LLP) for the appellant. Steven Ford QC and Adam Weitzman (instructed by Essex County Council Legal Services) for the authority.

The appellant attended a primary school which was under the control of the respondent local education authority. Pupils had swimming lessons in school hours. The appellant and members of her class went to the pool, accompanied by a class teacher, H. The group to which the appellant was assigned was taught by a swimming teacher, B. Also in attendance was a lifeguard, M. Neither B nor M were employed by the school and their services had been provided to the authority by S, who was an independent contractor who carried on an

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Muckle LLP—Rachael Chapman

Sports, education and charities practice welcomes senior associate

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Ellisons—Carla Jones

Partner and head of commercial litigation joins in Chelmsford

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Freeths—Louise Mahon

Firm strengthens Glasgow corporate practice with partner hire

NEWS
One in five in-house lawyers suffer ‘high’ or ‘severe’ work-related stress, according to a report by global legal body, the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
The Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO’s) plea for a budget increase has been rejected by the Law Society and accepted only ‘with reluctance’ by conveyancers
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
back-to-top-scroll