166 teachers off sick every day in Kirklees

Jan 5 2009 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

He said: “I know of primary schools in Kirklees where some of the kids have never used a knife and fork or sat at a table. Teachers are having to teach children things they should already have been taught by their parents.

“That’s putting more stress on teachers which is one reason why the sickness rate is climbing.”

Clr Dodds added: “We’ve also got to look after teachers who are being abused by pupils.”

But he doesn’t believe the teacher absence rate in Kirklees is critical.

Clr Dodds said: “There are schools where kids are not as well-behaved as they should be but I think teacher morale generally is good. No school has come to me to say they have a massive sickness problem.”

National Union of Teachers acting general secretary Christine Blower believes stress is behind the high absence rate.

She said: “Given the enormous pressures teachers are under, it is remarkable that they have so little sick leave on average.