Sickness and health

25th February 2005, 12:00am

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Sickness and health

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/sickness-and-health-0
I work in a small primary school where the headteacher has been off sick for nearly a term, and I have been the acting head. The head had hoped she would be back after half-term, but it now appears that she will not be returning before Easter, at the earliest. Are there any rules for how long I’m expected to fill in for her?

The loss of any teacher for a long period of time through ill-health can be unsettling for both pupils and staff; especially when the person is the head. There are rules governing how long a teacher can receive sick pay.

For a head, it could be as much as six months on full pay and six month on half pay. It may be that the head wants to return to work, but her doctor is unwilling to let her return until she is fully recovered. This sometimes makes for uncertainty, with the absentee telling you they will be returning and then being unable to do so. If you feel that you do not want to continue as acting head, talk to the chair of governors and the school’s link adviser to see whether another head might be seconded to the school for the remainder of your head’s absence.

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