Birmingham City Council has paid out almost £190,000 to school children – including £12,000 to one who was hit by a golf club.

The payouts for injuries during school time also included £17,000 compensation to one who slipped on ice.

Another pupil received £10,100 after getting fingers trapped in a door while one received £2,010 after being injured by acid during a science lesson.

One pupil received £275 after being the victim of bullying.

Other incidents included injuries caused by broken glass and fractured bones through falls and slipping. The total paid out over the last five years was £189,260.

Health and safety experts Employment Law Advisory Service (ELAS) said many injuries resulted from unsafe classrooms and PE equipment. The ELAS had acquired the information through an FOI request submitted to Birmingham City Council.

Wayne Dunning, lead health and safety consultant for the ELAS, said: “These figures are shocking and clearly not enough is being done to protect children in schools from what are, in the main, preventable accidents.

“These statistics are only the tip of the iceberg and the total number of accidents occurring in schools across England and Wales no doubt runs into many thousands more.

“Health and safety is not being managed properly in the education sector and this is costing taxpayers millions, not only in direct compensation, but also additional hidden costs from administration.

“It’s clear from the nature of the accidents that many areas are being overlooked by school managers and teachers, not through any fault of their own, but because they haven’t received the necessary training required to identify the potential risks and hazards that may prevent an accident from happening in the first place.

“These are quite basic health and safety failings and the government needs to invest more in training, so that accidents that put children in danger are avoided.”

A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said: “The health, safety and welfare of our school pupils and staff is a paramount consideration and the council prides itself on the way that safety is actively managed within our schools.

“There is, of course, always room for improvements and when accidents do occur, appropriate reviews are undertaken, safety policy is revised as required and lessons learned to ensure that we continue to maintain high standards of safety.”