One in 12 secondary students had a positive Covid test last week, according to the latest government data.
The Office for National Statistics found that the percentage of people testing positive for Covid-19 was highest for those in school Years 7 to 11 at 8.10 per cent in the week ending 9 October 2021, equating to one in 12 secondary students.
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In the week before - up to 2 October - one in 15 secondary students tested positive.
The new figures come after headteachers’ union the Association of School and College Leaders warned that Covid was continuing to cause “educational havoc” this term, with 97 per cent of school leaders saying teaching and learning has been affected by staff and pupil absence caused by the virus.
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The ONS data also found that “there were early signs of an increase in the percentage of people testing positive for those in school Year 12 to those aged 24 years” last week, whereas in the previous week to 2 October, rates among this group had decreased.
The percentage of people testing positive also increased for those aged two years to school Year 6 and those aged 35 to 49 years in the two weeks up to 9 October 2021, according to the data, but the ONS said the trend was uncertain in the week up to 9 October 2021.
The ONS found that in England, the percentage of people testing positive for the coronavirus continued to increase, with an estimated 890,000 people in England testing positive for Covid-19.
It said that in the week ending 9 October, the percentage of people testing positive increased for those in school Years 7 to 11, those aged 50 to 69 years and those aged 70 years and over.
