14,000 teachers call in sick every day, analysis finds
The Telegraph's analysis of the Department for Education's (DfE) data has found that about 14,000 teachers in England called in sick every day last year.
They said each teacher who took sick leave reported an average of eight days off work last year. It equates to almost 13,700 teachers calling in sick on any given day during the 190-day school year.
About 66 per cent of England’s teaching workforce were off school because of illness last year.
Full-time teachers have around 32 days more holiday each year than office employees who work 227 days on average, according to the government’s website.
The Telegraph revealed that teacher absences are forcing schools to spend billions on supply staff each year as headteachers scramble to plug gaps in the workforce.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told The Telegraph: “Worryingly, the latest Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey shows the majority of teachers and leaders believe the job has a negative impact on their mental and physical health."
“The Government needs to develop a strategy which places improving teacher wellbeing and reducing workloads front and centre. Improving conditions for teachers is a necessity if the Government is going to address the recruitment and retention crisis, which has left schools needing to plug gaps with supply staff at vast expense.”
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