Teachers in Scotland took an average of 6.8 sick days in 2022-23 - the highest level of absence since councils started tracking the data in 2010-11.

In the previous year, 2021-22, the average number of sick days per teacher was 5.8.

The Improvement Service, which collects the data on behalf of Scotland’s local authorities to help them assess and improve their performance, is warning that the picture is expected to worsen, with absence rising further in future years.

In 2022-23, a total of 383,063 days were lost to teacher absence, according to the Improvement Service figures - an increase of about 55,500 days on the previous year.

The previous record high in terms of total sick days taken by teachers was 2010-11, when 349,345 days were lost to teacher absence.

In the narrative accompanying the figures - which do not include Covid absences - the Improvement Service underlines that teacher absence is “now higher than pre-pandemic levels” and is “at the highest level” since tracking began in 2010-11.

‘Significant factors’ behind absences

The Improvement Service says workforce pressures have been exacerbated by Covid and that NHS backlogs, treatment delays and increasing mental health issues are “all significant factors” in the increase in absence.

It also says that in many areas “staff are exhausted, given their extraordinary efforts during the pandemic”.

According to the Improvement Service, the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. It says absence levels are “expected to increase further in coming years”, with “stress continuing to be the number one factor driving absence across Scotland”.

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According to the figures, North Ayrshire Council has one of the highest rates of teacher absence, with an average of nine sick days per teacher in 2022-23, compared with the national average of 6.8 - only Western Isles Council had a higher absence rate, at 9.1 sick days per teacher.

Neighbouring South Ayrshire Council, meanwhile, had the lowest rate of teacher absence, at 3.7 days per teacher.

Jacqueline MacKenzie, local area secretary for the EIS teaching union in North Ayrshire, says the difference in staff absence rates between the two authorities is likely driven by higher rates of deprivation in North Ayrshire.

North Ayrshire was targeted for higher levels of investment following the launch of the Scottish Attainment Challenge in 2015 because of the high proportion of children and young people affected by socio-economic disadvantage.

However, the Scottish government’s refresh of the attainment challenge, which began being introduced in the 2022-23 school year, has seen funding to the authority cut. In 2022-23 it received £4.7 million, but that is due to fall to £1.4 million by 2025-26.

Ms MacKenzie attributes the authority’s high teacher absence rate to excessive workload, a lack of resourcing for pupils with additional needs, and increasing problems with violence and poor behaviour in the classroom.

She says: “Teachers are supposed to work a 35-hour week, but 98 per cent of our members say they work more than that and 41 per cent say they work at least an extra eight hours a week - that’s equivalent to an extra day, and that will lead to stress and its related illnesses.”

She says greater investment in education is urgently needed to reduce class sizes and make sure the additional support needs of children are met.

Long NHS waiting lists are also impacting on teacher absence, says Ms MacKenzie. She says she is aware of teachers staying off work longer because they are waiting for procedures, such as hip and knee replacements, or mental health support.

According to the Improvement Service, local variation in absence rates can be down to factors including workforce composition and age profile, differences in absence management policies, and the varying importance given to health and wellbeing initiatives.

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