Hi Sharon

Do your staff have to ring in each day to report their absence? If so, could you get this data daily and ensure it is recorded on your HR system?

I have worked at three schools and have faced various different challenges relating to this issue.

Currently, all staff (regardless of their role) have to call the absence line by 7.30am each day if they are going to be absent. This is then input into the daily cover email and this email states the names of everyone who is out of school on that day (so that colleagues know when TA's won't be in lessons, meetings will be cancelled etc etc). The daily cover email is sent out to all staff each morning.

After the cover email has been sent the list of absences is input into two areas; A spreadsheet for me to view so I can see at a glance who is off (I also record on here whether a RTW has been completed); the HR system (so that we can track the data).

Staff should also let their line managers know when they are going to be absent.

When you say absence is not being reported - is it that there is not a central place for all of the information to be held, or do you not know when staff are off?

Hope this helps.
Dannielle

Is your sickness absence policy clear? Staff should be expected to call in to a nominated line/person to report absence. This is then recorded centrally (in my previous school this was on SIMS, my current academy we use SAM - school absence management). The main issue I have always had is getting people to do return to work meetings and get the forms to us, teachers especially simply don't always have time to do them first thing or the day the staff member returns. I'd love to hear if anyone has managed to overcome this problem!

In reply to Andrea Jennings:

I say to everybody that they have to fill out a notification of sickness absence form and bring it to me to authorise their absence. As they do this, i sit them down for their RTW interview. I put a big H&S onus on the RTW interviews as we need to know all 'illnesses and ailments' prior to them returning to work so we can support and protect them in their normal duties.

If they fail to do their part, their absence is recorded as unauthorised and their salary may be deducted accordingly. Repeat failure to do so may result in disciplinary proceedings as they are failing to complete simple management requests, going against procedures and risking their own and others H&S.

So really, its making them see the bigger picture and emphasising that the procedures are there to help them and support them.

In reply to Dannielle:

At my academy we have a simple weekly spreadsheet that the Principal will complete on receiving a call from a member of staff who is reporting their absence. All staff have a card with the absence procedure, first day is always the Principal between 6.30am and 7.30am. Staff are told to report daily either to the Principal or HR unless they have a fit note at which stage I maintain weekly contact as HR. The spreadsheet is shared between the Principal, VP, AP, Business Manager and HR. I then go on to this and update absence on our Oracle system. When they return I email the line manager and staff member a return to work form and ask them to complete, also highlighting any previous absences and whether they have exceeded the Managing Attendance Policy. If this is not done within a day it is chased up and I will put a comment on the spreadsheet. When it comes back I make sure it is completed correctly and at the side of their name I put RTW form returned. Hope this helps?

Hi Sharon,

I would review your sickness management policy and ensure that you have a procedure in place for reporting an absence. If you do but this isn't being followed, maybe request that the Headteacher go through the procedure during an all staff briefing or send an all staff email? Sometimes it just takes a prompt and a reminder that the procedure is mandatory but if it isn't being followed up, people will think that they don't need to do it. I have also included the procedure in our induction pack for new starters to try and get this embedded straight away. Although staff in schools are busy, it is a requirement that they report themselves as absent and this should be reinforced in your policy and in conversations with line managers/SLT/Headteacher that if they do not make contact, this may be judged as unauthorised absence, which could lead to disciplinary action against them and/or loss of pay for each day they do not inform the school of the absence.

I hope this helps,
Chelsey