A clear school absence workflow identifies the decision-maker before submission, records the decision and hands approved absence to the cover team. Planned leave needs an approval route; unexpected absence needs a separate recording process so urgent cover can be organised without pretending it was a planned request.
Who should approve a request?
Choose approval responsibility according to the school's existing policy and the reason for absence. A single route for every request can be easy to understand, while different routes may better reflect how a school delegates decisions. The important point is that the route is explicit and someone maintains it.
Map the process before configuring software. Record who decides, who arranges cover and who handles a request when the intended approver is unavailable. These are operational responsibilities; the software setting does not establish an employee's entitlement to leave.
| Decision | What the school needs to agree |
|---|---|
| Approver | Which school role is responsible for the decision? |
| Own requests | Who decides when the usual approver is requesting leave? |
| Missing approver | Who corrects the configuration or resolves the request? |
| Cover handoff | Who acts after the request is approved? |
How does Cover Manager route planned leave?
Cover Manager lets schools select the headteacher, cover manager or existing school rules for each absence reason. The form shows the resolved approver before submission. For a cover-manager route, a school can choose to send a cover manager's own request to the headteacher.
Nobody can approve their own request. If no eligible approver is available, submission is blocked with an explanation; it does not silently approve the request. New requests retain their resolved route, so changing a reason later does not redirect a pending request. Approvers must still hold the relevant role.
How should unexpected absence be handled?
Unexpected absence should be recorded by an authorised manager with the affected date and periods confirmed. In Morning Cover, the recording action creates an immediately approved absence and cover requirements, recording the manager's identity.
Use the normal request process for planned leave. If an absence already exists for that staff member and date, review the existing record rather than creating a duplicate or trying to approve it through the unexpected absence shortcut.
What should you test before staff start using it?
Test both the intended route and the cases where it cannot work. A successful request from one person does not prove every role and reason has been configured correctly.
- A teacher submits a request and sees the expected approver.
- A cover manager submits their own request.
- A reason has no eligible approver.
- An approver's role changes while a request is pending.
- An approved request appears in the cover workflow.
- An unexpected absence does not duplicate an existing record.
Give staff a short explanation of the route and who to contact if it looks wrong. Review responsibility when staff roles change, rather than waiting for a request to become stuck.