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Sickness and absence management

Reducing lost working days through practical, education-specific absence support

Effective management of staff sickness and absence is essential for maintaining continuity, supporting wellbeing, and ensuring the best outcomes for pupils. We support schools and multi-academy trusts (MATs) in reducing absence levels through expert advice, case-specific guidance, and hands-on support—helping you promote a culture of attendance and reliability.

Our experienced education HR consultants work with your leadership team to implement best practice processes and provide strategic advice on managing both short- and long-term absence cases.

What we offer

Depending on your needs, we can deliver remote or on-site support, including:

  • Policy and procedure advice – Guidance on developing and applying effective sickness and absence management procedures in line with employment law and sector standards.
  • Meeting support – Attendance at informal or formal absence review meetings to advise managers and ensure compliance with process and documentation standards.
  • Occupational health review – Interpretation of occupational health reports, including practical recommendations for phased returns, reasonable adjustments, or referrals for further assessment. (Please note: our occupational health referral service is available separately.)
  • Risk assessment and case planning – Support in evaluating absence-related risks, including consideration of potential dismissal on capability grounds, with clear documentation and advice on legal compliance.
  • Promoting a culture of attendance – Strategic advice and recommendations to help your school embed positive attendance values and reduce patterns of avoidable absence.  

Flexible support packages

All absence support can be:

  • Included in your annual consultancy agreement, or
  • Purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis, with a clear fixed fee for each piece of work.

This ensures you can access the right level of support when needed—without paying for services you don’t require.

Get a free quote

For a no obligation quotation, contact us today:

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