Coronavirus drives up school absences again

School pupil absences due to Covid has hit a new record high since classes went back in March, new figures show.

Data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows that around one in 20 (5.1%) state school pupils did not attend class for Covid-19-related reasons on June 24 – up from 3.3% on June 17 and 1.2% on June 10.

Around 279,000 children were self-isolating due to a possible contact with a Covid-19 case, a further 24,000 had a suspected case of coronavirus and 15,000 had a confirmed case.

The figures came after the DfE confirmed that school isolation rules in England could be brought to an end in the autumn.

Currently children have to self-isolate for 10 days if another pupil in their bubble tests positive for coronavirus but ministers have asked secondary schools to prepare to potentially replace isolation rules with regular testing.

A spokesman said: "We are provisionally asking secondary schools to prepare to offer on-site testing when students return for the new academic year, so that schools can keep as many children as possible in face-to-face education.”

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: "These absence figures have quadrupled in just two weeks and will be significantly worse in areas with high case numbers.

"The Government are again asleep at the wheel. Schools follow guidance in good faith and suffer the consequences of doing so. More stringent measures could be brought in right now, and it is a mystery why Gavin Williamson continues to do nothing.”