Progress made in Moray’s work to reduce staff absence in schools
Moray Council has shared an update on its Improving Attendance Project, launched in December 2025, aimed at reducing absence rates among teaching and support staff and improving consistency for pupils in classrooms.
Since the project began, Moray has moved quickly to put appropriate support in place for schools. Two dedicated HR advisors have been recruited to work directly with schools, helping head teachers deal with absence cases quickly and consistently.
Good progress has already been made with the Health at Work policy training. Five sessions have now taken place, giving school leaders clear guidance and practical support on managing attendance and supporting staff wellbeing.
The council has started gathering detailed information from schools to better understand current absence levels and what support is needed most. Head teachers have been asked to complete a short questionnaire to help shape the next stage of the project and make sure the support is targeted where it will make the biggest difference.
Work is also underway to review existing policies and guidance, so they are clear, consistent and easy to use. This includes updating the Health at Work policy and improving access to advice and resources for staff.
Alongside this, Moray is sharing learning with other councils and national networks to make sure local approaches reflect good practice across Scotland.
The next phase of the project will focus on analysing the data collected and tracking progress over time.
Chair of the Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee, Cllr Kathleen Robertson, commented: “High levels of staff absence have been a real pressure on our schools and it’s encouraging to see the work we’ve started to tackle this now underway and moving in a positive direction. This project is already helping to bring clear processes, better support for staff and more stability in classrooms. We know change doesn’t happen overnight, but the early signs are promising and we’re hopeful this approach will continue to make a real difference for our schools, staff and pupils.”
A formal review of progress is planned to be brought forward to the Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee in September 2026.