Schools are “teetering on the edge” because of staff absence, with more than a third of headteachers reporting having over 10 per cent of their workforce off because of Covid, a school leaders’ union has warned.

An NAHT poll of almost 2,000 headteachers reveals significant levels of staff absence just days into the new term.

Almost one in 10 heads report that more than 20 per cent of their teaching staff are absent and some schools are already having to combine classes or send groups home to learn remotely because of absences.

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In the survey:

• More than a third of heads (36 per cent) said they had more than 10 per cent of their total staff absent on the first day of term due to Covid-related reasons. 
• More than a quarter (27 per cent) said they had more than 10 per cent of their teaching staff absent on the first day of term due to Covid-related reasons.  
• 95 per cent said they had pupils absent for Covid-related reasons. Almost a third (29 per cent) said they had more than 10 per cent of their pupils absent for Covid-related reasons.
• Half (50 per cent) said they were using supply teachers to cover classes due to absence, but over a third (37 per cent) said they were unable to source the supply staff they needed, even via agencies.
• Less than 7 per cent reported combining classes or year groups, and only 4 per cent reported having to send classes or year groups home.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “Schools are doing everything they can to maintain education for pupils in the face of very challenging circumstances.

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“Staff absence on the first day of term was considerable and school leaders have been doing what they can to redeploy teachers and other support staff to avoid being forced to combine classes or send groups home.

“Given that this is a snapshot of just the first day of term, this is a very worrying picture. Infection rates - and therefore absence due to illness - could very likely rise as the term progresses, and already half of schools are having to turn to supply staff, with many finding they cannot secure suitable cover.

 “Many schools are teetering on the edge and the next few weeks at least will undoubtedly continue to be an incredibly challenging time.”

The poll comes as a Department for Education email sent to schools reminded heads that it has made an “urgent call” for former teachers to step back into the classroom to ensure pupils can remain in school.

The DfE also issued guidance to schools at the start of the year asking them to consider combining classes and using staff flexibly if they are experiencing staff absence.

Mr Whiteman said: “School leaders are having to make difficult decisions whilst faced with conflicting priorities. The government’s clear priority that schools should be kept open is understood.

“The crisis in available resources will mean that school leaders and their teams will require the unflinching support of government to achieve this. School leaders need to be free to arrange the delivery of education according to the resources available to them, not on the basis of the normal school week.

“School leaders need to know that their decisions will be backed by government. They have proved time and again that they are worthy of the nation’s trust. Inspection, unnecessary assessment and the use of league tables are an unhelpful impediment during this moment of crisis.”