Absenteeism by teachers 'costs schools millions'

A campaign to cut absenteeism among teachers, amid fears that sick leave is costing schools millions of pounds a year, is planned by ministers.

A campaign to cut absenteeism among teachers, amid fears that sick leave is costing schools millions of pounds a year, is planned by ministers.

They are to launch a series of measures to improve occupational health in schools later this year to cut down the disruption to children's education caused by bringing in temporary staff to cover lessons.

Local government employers say about 7 per cent of days were lost each year to illness, roughly on a par with other public sector workers, although absenteeism peaked in December, March and June, towards the end of the Christmas, spring and summer terms.

Yesterday headteachers said they were increasingly forced to seek a second medical opinion if staff were off sick for several weeks, but insisted that the vast majority of teachers were conscientious.

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, warned that some teachers were being signed off sick with stress asa way of avoiding being disciplined, but said such cases were not the norm.

He said: "The Government is trying to crack down on absenteeism and I have no doubt they are working with the employers' organisations to see what can be done. I don't think there is excessive absenteeism when you have regard to the pressure teachers are under."

John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, said he was frequently asked for advice on dealing with long-term sickness. He said: "We advise heads to get early independent medical advice and go to the occupational health specialists after two to three months. But teachers on the whole are very conscientious and make every effort to get to work."

Graham Lane, education chairman of the Local Government Association, said councils were working with the Government to cut teacher stress and reduce absenteeism due to stress-related illness.

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Employment said; "We have been talking with employers as part of a drive to manage sick leave within the public sector."