Sickness absence among pupils has climbed to its highest level this term since autumn 2020, new data has revealed.

The new figures indicating the impact of Covid on schools comes as today’s ONS figures show that Covid cases are highest among school pupils.

The data compiled by the FFT education data lab reveals that primary pupils missed 3.7 per cent of sessions because of illness this term - almost double the rate in autumn 2020 (1.9 per cent).

Sickness absence in secondary schools increased by almost two-thirds - from 2.9 per cent to 4.9 per cent when you compare this year and last year.

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FFT statistician Katie Benyon said that the fall in overall absence rates owing to the removal of bubble isolation rules has brought a cost of higher sickness absence, which would likely have “a knock-on effect on staff absence”.

“This means disruption might not have reduced by as much as overall pupil absence figures would suggest,” she added.

The latest Department for Education figures published at the end of last month showed a rise in teacher and school leader absence to 2 per cent, following a “very sharp” rise in pupil absence owing to Covid, which rose by 62 per cent in two weeks. 

Meanwhile, in its latest figures published this afternoon, the ONS said that 4.18 per cent of those aged 2 to those in Year 6 tested positive for Covid in the week to 3 December, while 3.87 per cent of pupils in Years 7-11 tested positive.

Effect on primary and secondary schools 

Primary pupils saw the biggest increase in sickness absence, with 3.7 per cent of sessions being missed owing to sickness - almost double that in autumn 2020 (1.9 per cent). Sessions are equal to half days (morning and afternoon), as set out in DfE guidance.

The report found that absence in primaries is peaking now, but also notes that because its data only tracks up to the 3 December, the possible full impact of the fast-growing Omicron variant in schools might not yet be seen in the figures.

Sickness absence in secondaries increased by almost two-thirds - from 2.9 per cent to 4.9 per cent when you compare this year and last year. 

There was a bigger improvement in overall absence in secondary schools than primary (a 4.1 per cent drop in absence to 9.8 per cent), however, this figure still remained higher than rates in primary schools.

Sickness absence rising again

Sickness absence has been rising again after a drop because of the October half term, with the latest figures on the 3 December at 5.2 per cent in secondary schools and 4.9 per cent in primaries.

Ms Benyon said: “Removing bubbles for the start of this academic year has certainly been effective in reducing pupil absence. But it has also led to sickness rates as high as they’ve been since the grand reopening last autumn.

“If the situation is to improve next term, then the Covid infection rate in schools must be brought down.”

The report is based on data collected from 5,200 primary and 2,500 secondary schools that subscribe to Attendance Tracker.

Yesterday, new data released by FFT revealed that over one-third of secondary pupils were persistently absent this term, with almost half of disadvantaged pupils in Years 10 and 11 having missed more than 10 per cent of sessions.