SIX teachers who lost their jobs when their secondary school underwent Fresh Start have won compensation in an out-of-court settlement between the National Union of Teachers and Merton Council in south London. The NUT claimed the six senior teachers at Watermeads - now Bishopsford - school had been denied a fair hearing Both union and council issued a statement criticising the Fresh Start process for creating “grave uncertainty”. NUT senior solicitor Graham Clayton said Fresh Start denied staff basic rights because the Government’s legislation had not been properly thought through. Merton will help the staff find new jobs.