More than one million days of teaching have been lost to mental health sick days over the past two years, the Daily Mail can reveal.
In the last academic year, the figure stood at 535,970 days, representing around 20 per cent of all health-related absences.
Some 487,986 days were lost to mental health sick days in 2022/23, analysis of council data by the TaxPayers’ Alliance found.
It comes amid concerns that schools are being gripped by a ‘sick note’ culture that is disrupting the education of children, particularly those from the most disadvantaged communities.
The data revealed almost 20,000 teachers called in sick for at least one day last year citing mental health challenges.
Just over 18,500 did so in 2022/23. Last year, teachers absent due to mental ill-health were off for an average of 26 days.
The data revealed almost 14,000 teachers called in sick every single day, equating to around 2.5million teaching days lost to illness.
In the last two years almost five million teaching days were lost due to ill-health.
More than one million days of teaching have been lost to mental health sick days over the past two years. Picture: Stock image
Some 487,986 days were lost to mental health sick days in 2022/23, analysis of council data by the TaxPayers’ Alliance found. Picture: Stock image
Leeds had the highest number of teachers taking sickness leave for mental health reasons with 2,525 teachers taking time off across the last two academic years, costing more than 53,618 teaching days. This accounts for 5 per cent of the total figure across Britain.
Hertfordshire County Council saw 1,492 teachers take at least one sick day for their mental health.
Full-time teachers have an average of 32 days more holiday each year than office employees, meaning their absences represent a higher proportion of work missed.
Professor Len Shackleton, editorial and research fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: ‘The increase in time taken off work year after year reflects a decline in resilience and a willingness to exploit permissive work environments.
‘It serves pupils badly, and adds to costs as supply teachers have to be drafted in.’
A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘Wherever possible, this government wants teachers at the front of classrooms.
‘The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter was developed in partnership with the sector and mental health experts to improve staff wellbeing.
‘The government is committed to working with teachers as partners in the push for better, so we can break down barriers to opportunity for every child.’
The Department for Education does not record the reasons for teacher absences.
