Staff in need of taking sick leave must inform the Headmaster before 7.15am on the  first day of absence or as soon as possible afterwards. If you are unable to contact  the Headmaster, you must contact the Deputy Head or Head of Lower School. If  the member of staff is unable to make the call themselves, they should ask a  dependant/relative/friend to do so. Absences of up to seven calendar days may be  self-certified, but beyond seven calendar days a doctor’s certificate must be provided. In the event of a protracted illness further doctor’s certificates will be  required on a regular basis to cover the entire period of absence. 

If your absence is due to sickness or diarrhoea, you can not return to work until 48  hours after the last bout. 

If staff are taking medication which may affect their ability to care for children, they  should seek medical advice and confirm that the medication is unlikely to impair  their ability to look after children properly. 

Subject to compliance with the provisions within your contract of employment and  the provisions of this handbook, you will be entitled to statutory sick pay. 

The School at all times reserves the right to withhold or discontinue payment of  School sickness benefit at its discretion, if it is satisfied that there is/has been abuse  or misrepresentation, if injury from an accident at work was caused by the  employee’s own misconduct, if an employee has failed to follow the School’s  absence rules and procedures or if, in the opinion of the employee’s doctor or the  School’s Occupational Health Practitioner, the employee behaves in a manner likely  to delay recovery. 

The School reserves the right to change the provisions of the School sick pay scheme  at any time and in particular if there are alterations to the statutory sick pay scheme. 

Should The Prep Schools Trust Finance Department (when completing the school’s  absence report with the employee on return) not authorise payment, deduction of  money already paid for the period concerned will be made at the next convenient  pay period.  

The School reserves the right to require a member of staff at any time to have a  medical examination with a medical professional of its own choice and at its own  expense. The purpose of such medical examinations are to determine whether  there are any matters which might impair a staff member’s ability to perform  his/her duties and accordingly he/she will give such authority as is required for the  School’s nominated medical professional to disclose to the School the findings. 

The School reserves the right to submit an employee for examination by the School  Occupational Health Practitioner at any time and in particular, but not limited to,  the following circumstances: 

● Before or after resuming work following an accident due to an industrial  accident; 

● During or after a prolonged or regular absence due to illness;                                                                                  

● Prior to transferring to another occupation within the School; 

● In order to comply with statutory regulations; 

● At the request of management when there is doubt regarding the validity of  periods of self-certified absence. 

UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE: 

Absence from work without leave or adequate explanation is a breach of discipline  and may lead to disciplinary action. Unauthorised absence will be unpaid and the  School reserves the right to make deductions from your salary in respect of such  absence on the basis of a day’s pay calculated as set out in your contract of  employment. 

MONITORING ABSENCES: 

Levels of absence need to be contained because not only is everybody’s work  important, but persistent absences place an undue load on colleagues. With this in  mind, absence is monitored on a regular basis by the Head of Operations.  Nevertheless, the School’s approach as an employer, in cases of ill health, will always  be one of sympathy, compassion and understanding.  

Any staff whose frequency or length of absence is at an unacceptable level (whether  certified or not) will be interviewed by their Line Manager from the SLT and, if  necessary, the Headmaster. Such a review, where the record warrants it, may result  in a further review over a given period where substantial improvement will be  sought. Failure to attain and sustain the standard required, without justifiable  reason, could result in disciplinary action being taken in accordance with the  School’s disciplinary policy.  

A member of staff with persistent health problems may be referred by his/her Line  Manager from the SLT to the School’s Occupational Health Practitioner who will  advise on the current state of their health and make the necessary recommendations  regarding it. He/she will also offer advice to the employee and will, if necessary and  with the employee’s agreement, liaise with the employee’s own doctor. The full  circumstances of the employee’s situation will be taken into account.  

Those with a serious illness or disability will continue to be treated sympathetically  in accordance with the School’s Policies. Where the School’s Occupational Health  Practitioner finds that an employee is incapable of continuing with his/her duties  on a permanent basis, because of ill health, the School will endeavour to offer  redeployment, subject to vacancies and suitability for alternative work. However,  this may not always be possible and, when all possible, practical alternative options  have been explored, termination of service on the grounds of ill health or  incapability will be considered.