Staff sickness is an increasing concern for schools, with absence rates continuing to rise across the education sector. Whether it’s short-term illness, stress-related leave, or a long-term health condition, the impact is felt across the board and can disrupt learning, increase already stretched workloads, and affect overall staff morale.
At Juniper Education, we see the effects of this every day. In June alone, our HR Advice Line, managed by our team of experienced education HR consultants, received 171 queries specifically relating to staff sickness absence. While our staff are here to support schools through it, we also want to help tackle the issue (or at least understand it a bit better). That’s exactly what we’re aiming to explore in this blog.
The latest Department for Education (DfE) statistics show that sickness absence among teachers is still higher than before the pandemic.
Although the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that sickness absence rates across the wider UK workforce have returned to pre-pandemic levels, the picture in schools tells a different story. The percentage of teachers taking sickness absence remains 10 percentage points higher than the average recorded before 2020.
It’s a sign that schools are feeling the pressure when it comes to staff sickness absence.
The reasons behind school staff sickness are wide-ranging, but the most common include:
It’s not just about physical illness – mental health and workload are playing a growing role in staff needing time away from school. So, what can headteachers and SLTs do to help tackle the issue?
Managing absence isn’t just about counting days off – it’s about creating a supportive environment that helps reduce the risk of staff becoming unwell in the first place, or feeling they have no option but to take time off to recover from the everyday stresses of working in education.
Our consultants always tailor their advice to each school’s situation, but here are five practical, easy-to-implement suggestions they often share with schools looking for support, some of which you may already be putting into practice.
1. Set clear absence policies
Make sure your workplace has clear absence policies and procedures in place so everyone knows what to expect. Setting defined trigger points – for example, 10 days lost or four separate absences in a rolling 12-month period – helps identify patterns early and opens the door for early interventions if staff need support.
2. Use return-to-work conversations
A quick chat after each absence can make a huge difference. It allows you to understand any underlying issues, offer adjustments if needed, and show staff that you care. It’s not about pointing fingers – it’s about offering support and getting to the root of any health or work-related concerns.
3. Support staff mental health and wellbeing
It’s important that staff know help is available when they need it. That could mean having mental health first aiders in school, access to counselling, or an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to turn to for support. Just as important is creating a culture where staff feel comfortable talking about stress, anxiety or burnout, without judgment.Juniper partners with the Schools Advisory Service (SAS), who provide a wide range of wellbeing services for school staff, including EAPs, counselling, and personalised support.
Or take a look at how St Mary’s Primary School partnered with both Juniper and SAS to better support their team.
Our in-house expert, Maria Thomas, is alsoleading the Supporting Staff Wellbeing e-learning module, now available on the Juniper Training Centre.
The course offers practical advice on how schools can better support and improve staff wellbeing, with tips you can start using straight away. The live webinars will run from September 2025 to June 2026, visit the Learning Library on the Juniper Training Centre to book your place.
4. Use Occupational Health where appropriate
For longer absences or ongoing issues, referring staff to Occupational Health can provide expert advice on whether they’re fit to return to work and if any adjustments are needed to support them.
If you’d like to learn more about how Occupational Health can support your school, we’ve got an on-demand webinar that might be just what you’re looking for.
5. Review your absence data regularly
Reviewing your absence data regularly can help you spot trends that might otherwise go unnoticed. Are absences spiking at particular times of year, like just before holidays or during the winter months? Is one department or year group seeing more time off than others?
These insights can highlight underlying issues – whether it’s workload pressure, lack of support, or even environmental factors like ventilation or classroom layout. Once you know where the problems are, you can take more targeted, preventative steps to support staff and reduce absence.
We know managing sickness absence is just one of many challenges school leaders face. That’s why our education HR consultants have created a free on-demand webinar, offering practical advice on managing staff absence in schools - ready to watch whenever it suits you.
Or, if you need advice or are facing a complex situation, book a call with Juniper’s HR experts for confidential, no-judgment support.