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SCHOOL'S OUT FOR TEACHERS HIT BY STRESS
‘Psychological’ reasons cited for nearly 800 lost working days this year
ALMOST 800 working days have been lost to teachers calling in sick for “psychological” reasons so far this year.
If it continues at the same rate, it will be the equivalent of every one of the 969 teachers working in the borough’s primary and secondary schools taking one day off due to mental health by the start of the summer holidays.
The figure comes from a freedom of information request by the West End Extra, which also revealed that teachers have called in sick more than 3,000 times this year – a rate of more than one a day – leading to accusations they are “pulling sickies” to skive off work.
Teachers say the “worrying” figure is a result of stress caused by mounting bureaucracy and a slavish obsession with league tables and results.
In primary schools the number of lost days has increased over the past three years, meaning more pupils have to be taught by unfamiliar supply teachers who may not be specialists in the subjects they are teaching.
Padraic Finn, former Westminster NUT secretary, said: “It’s worrying but not that surpris?-ing. Stress is a major issue for teachers and it’s getting worse because schools are becoming more bureaucratic and headteachers more obsessed by league tables and A to C grades.
“I don’t think classroom behaviour is getting worse, but kids aren’t stupid and they are becoming demoralised by the way schools are becoming like factories so they probably react.
“And kids exploit supply teachers who aren’t necessarily experts in their field and are seen as a push-over which isn’t good for their education.”
After the 747 days lost to psychological reasons, “Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat and Mouth” is the second biggest cause of absence, accounting for 500 lost days this year.
The overall number has fallen for secondary school teachers, with just 1,786 lost days in 2007/08, down from 3,921 in 2005/06.
It’s no surprise that the school with the biggest absenteeism problem over the last four years has been the troubled Pimlico School, now an academy, which surrendered more than 600 working days to absence when it was in special measures in 2007.
The school with the best record is St Marylebone, which hasn’t recorded a single absence so far this year, and only lost two working days through sickness last year.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive at the TaxPayers’ Alliance said:
“This high level of sick leave is very concerning, and far above the private sector average. In some cases these teachers are stressed and need more support, but others are clearly pulling sickies. Either way, taxpayers are footing the bill for these absences, and children’s educations are suffering from a lack of continuity in teaching.”
Michael O’Connor, Westminster Council’s strategic director of children and young people, said: “Sickness levels among teachers in Westminster are well within industry norms. On average, teachers take just over three days off a year due to illness and this compares favourably with both the public and private sector, where employees take on average just over eight days off a year due to ill health.
“Teaching is an incredibly rewarding but also very challenging profession and we have worked hard directly with schools to reduce the pressures on teachers, with the number of sick days being reduced by 51 per cent in the last four years.
“We provide advice and assistance to all schools and last month we started a new service for staff where all schools have been offered access to a confidential and independent counselling and information service to assist employees with personal or work-related problems that may affect their health, wellbeing or performance.
“They can also be provided with a face-to-face counsellor who works or lives close to the member of staff.” |
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