A New Zealander friend of mine, who has taught in this country for the past year, recently recounted the latest in a long line of tales about visiting a doctor.

The feedback regarding the teacher’s lot was yet again negative, ranging from low pay, excessive workload and stressful working conditions which, taken together, have significantly increased the number of teachers taking sick leave.

At the beginning of this school year, the Government acknowledged the shortfall in teacher availability, and the pressure this puts on school staff is all too obvious.

Schools, like any other workplaces, function best when staffing is consistent and stable. Frequent absence creates practical difficulties, increases workplace stress by placing extra duties on other staff, and can be costly when arranging temporary cover.

The Department for Education and Skills is concerned by this; in May 2000, Education Secretary David Blunkett asked all schools to achieve a 20 per cent reduction on the 1999 rate of absence by the end of 2001, and a 30 per cent reduction by the end of 2002.

So local authorities and schools are increasingly mindful of the need to curb and monitor staff sick leave, and their policies and procedures will reflect this.

Guidelines for sick-leave entitlement are set out in the conditions of service for schoolteachers in England and Wales, although there are wide variations in how individual local authorities interpret these guidelines. Locally, schools have autonomy and may vary in their procedures.

As an NQT, it is extremely unlikely that at the start of your career you envisage having to take time off because of to illness. But here are some guidelines and advice in case.

Entitlement to sick leave is calculated on length of teaching time, excluding breaks in service. This entitlement is also transferable from one local authority to another.

In the first year of service, this amounts to 25 days on full pay and, after four calendar months, 50 days on half pay. Teachers are also eligible to claim statutory sick pay or incapacity benefit while on half pay.

You may also be able to claim other benefits if your pay falls below a certain threshold - many agencies can offer help with benefits advice.

Many local authorities offer more generous arrangements and can use their discretion in individual cases. Check out your local authority’s procedure; it should be outlined in the staff handbook.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I FALL SICK?

* Make sure you are clear about your individual school procedure. If it is written down, ensure you have a copy. Does it differ from standard council procedure?

* Notify the designated contact, usually the headteacher, as early as possible. Ensure you know whether to contact the head at home or at school, and that you have the correct numbers.

* If you initially leave a message on an answerphone, always ring back and speak to someone personally to counter any potential misunderstandings.

* Keep the school informed as well as you can about how long you expect to be off so they can arrange cover. If you are absent for more than four days, you will be asked to complete a self-certification form. After seven days, you will need a medical certificate from your doctor.

* Ensure that, where you have planned work, it is easily accessible in school - and keep a regularly-updated class list handy with your planning file to help the teacher covering deal with any behaviour or special needs issues.

* Some local authorities will carry out a back-to-work interview. Remember that you can take a friend or representative into any meeting with you, if this makes you feel more secure.

* Most local authorities will have an occupational health service and may choose to refer you if they are concerned about your levels of sick leave or your ability to do the job.

If this happens, you may want to contact your union for guidance. you should also visit your own GP if you are concerned about your health.

When is it reasonable to take time off?

While the number of teachers taking time off rose last year, Government statistics estimate that this is still lower than that of other public sector employees.

A spokesman for the local government employer’s organisation says it is assumed that NQTs will take “fewer liberties” in taking time off.

Most teachers, at any stage of their careers, in my opinion, are so aware of the extra stress and workload placed on colleagues, as well as the disruption caused to their pupils, that the dilemma of taking time off to recover is itself a source of stress.

Carrying on, however, when you are obviously unwell may lead to a more significant illness - over 40 per cent of absence in 1999 were of 20 days or more.

As a rule of thumb, if you feel you are not managing your class and your workload effectively because you are unwell, you need to take time off and ensure you fully recover so that you can take control on your return.

Virginia Hunt is an early years teacher in a south London school