A THIRD of sick days taken by teachers are as a result of the stress of the job - according to new figures.

Teachers across the North-East, Yorkshire and the Humber missed half a million school days last year through illness.

According to research by the Schools Advisory Service, a third of those days, or roughly 166,000, were caused by stress - costing schools millions of pounds.

Yesterday's news came as little surprise to education experts across the region.

Terry Bladen, of the NASUWT, said: "This doesn't surprise me, teaching is a stressful job and it is getting more stressful.

"Teachers work roughly 52 hours a week. It surprises me that the sickness isn't actually higher."

Karen Pemberton, headteacher of Eastbourne Comprehensive in Darlington, said the figure could be even higher.

"Towards the end of term, teachers will go off with coughs and colds brought on because they are run down and stressed, so it is probably higher than a third."

The number of sick days taken by teachers nationally has been showing an upward trend for many years.

However, headteachers and union leaders said the Government's new Workload Agreement, which comes into full effect in 2005, was already tackling the problem.

In September, Longfield Comprehensive in Darlington employed three full-time cover supervisors responsible for taking classes for absent teachers.

Keith Cotgrave, Longfield headteacher , said: "Our sickness rates have improved.

"Teachers now come in saying they know they will not have to cover for absent colleagues and that has helped them tremendously."

Hummersknott School and Language College, also in Darlington, will have two cover supervisors from January.

Headteacher Pat Howarth, said: "In the past, teachers have tried be social workers, psychologists, agony aunts and ended up doing everything, including photocopying and other administration.

"If you are trying to do everything then you will be stressed."

What is the workforce agreement?

THE Workforce Agreement was brought in by the Government in 2003 to ease the burden on teachers and give them a better work/life balance.

The aim was was to cut the amount of administration they do; reduce the time spent covering for staff sickness; and give teachers more time out of the classroom for planning and marking.

It has been rolled out over three years with the last wave to be implemented in September 2005.

The last wave should see teachers given 10 per cent of their time (or roughly half a day a week) out of the classroom for planning, preparation and assessment.

The workforce deal was signed by the teaching unions, but it has been very controversial. There is still some doubt that the Government will provide adequate funding to fully implement the agreement. And many teachers say that the Government has suggested classroom assistants should take classes.