What do we know about the health of the education sector?

According to the most up-to-date data, published by the Office for National Statistics on 30 July 2018 [1], the average number of days absent due to sickness annually per employee in the UK is 4.1, totalling 137.3 million sick days per year. Furthermore, mental health conditions (including stress, depression, and anxiety) were linked to 15.8 million days’ absence, which equates to 11.5% of all sickness absence recorded that year.

More recently, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) published a health and wellbeing at work survey in 2019 which uncovered the following statistics:

  • Only half of respondents felt that managers have bought into the importance of wellbeing.
  • The top 3 causes of stress related absence were shown to be workload/volume of work (62%), management style (43%), and relationships at work (30%).
  • Only 18% of respondents reported that managers are confident and competent to spot the early signs of mental ill health.
  • 83% of respondents reported that people work when unwell.
  • 63% of people reported that they used their holidays to work and would also work when absent due to sickness.
  • 37% reported an increase in stress related absence.
  • Mental health represents 59% of long-term absence cases.

How can we help?

The Staff
For many years, Hessington Health Limited have had the privilege of working with several schools in Hertfordshire and North London delivering occupational health consultancy services. Having managed over 500 occupational health assessments of teaching staff from diverse settings ranging from junior schools to universities, Dr Rai has acquired a unique insight into how the health and wellbeing of teaching staff varies with the demands of the academic year. As a result, he has developed supportive wellbeing services tailored to the needs of this community. To explore how your school could benefit from our bespoke service please provide your information here.

Some of the schools we support include:

  • Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Boys
  • Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls
  • Aldenham School
  • The Royal Masonic School for Girls
  • Merchant Taylors’ School • Queenswood School
  • Orley Farm School • Reddiford School

The Students

Although this research focused on the wellbeing of medical students, the evidence reviewed initially came from many sectors, across several continents, representing diverse communities. The resulting wellbeing model is therefore transferable across all sectors and contexts. The research also led to the synthesis of an infographic poster. Hessington Health Limited have since collaborated with selected primary and secondary schools to adapt the language of the poster for use in schools. Please see our shop for more information about our educational wellbeing posters.

Our school-based training seminars for middle and senior leaders further explore how staff awareness of pupil wellbeing can be increased.

Social Mobility

We are committed to working with schools in the state sector to address wellbeing challenges faced by students whose social mobility may be limited by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like more information, please provide your details here.