Almost a quarter of local authority educational advisers and inspectors say they have been bullied or harassed at work in the past two years, while more than half knew of or had witnessed bullying.

Managers are responsible for the vast majority of bullying (83 per cent), a new study shows. Many advisers say that they have been publicly criticised or told that theirwork was no good.

But one adviser complained about “aggressive harassment by the Department of Education and Skills staff with threats of withdrawing funding to the authority”.

The study, carried out by the National Association of Educational Inspectors, Advisers and Consultants, also found that most felt they had too much work to do. and not have enough time in which to to do it.

Working hours were felt to be too long by 83 per cent of the 700 respondents, who were mainly employed by local education authorities.

Stress-related illnesses reported included hyperthyroidism, panic attacks, palpitations, high blood pressure and chest pains. But more than three-quarters of respondents said their employer had taken no steps to reduce stress.

Many said the problems were related to inadequate staffing, which two-thirds said was bad or very bad in their local service.

John Chowcat, general secretary of NAEIAC, said that the workload figures came as no surprise but that the level of bullying was “startling”.

He said that because education services tended to be small and managers often promoted from within, they sometimes lacked management experience.

“There are some managers in these services who may be very expert in their specialist work but are not necessarily expert managers of people,” he said, adding that more management training and development should be provided by local education authorities.

Mike Walker, assistant director of the Employers’ Organisation for local government staff, said: “I am a bit dismayed at these figures. They seem very high.”

He said he hoped to talk to NAEIAC about the survey.

‘HE CALLED ME A BARBIE DOLL’

“Told in anger by manager I was useless and I’d better find another job.”

* “A threat to complain to OFSTED about my capabilities, unless I changed a judgment that a school had serious weaknesses.”

* “Any meeting with him leads to feelings of disempowerment, I now dread them.”

* “Being referred to by a senior male as a ‘Barbie doll’.”

* “Shouted at and humiliated in front of a colleague.”

* “He talks about team-work but really it is all about tellingordering people to do as he says.”