More than a third of confirmed coronavirus cases among teachers were in just one of England’s nine regions, new snapshot data shows. 

It reveals that on 16 October, there were 710 teachers with a positive Covid-19 test across the North West, which was 35 per cent of the total confirmed cases amongst teachers in England on that day.

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Analysis from the North West Association of the Directors of Children’s Services, reported by the BBC, also shows that in mid-October over 40 per cent of schools in Bury, Knowsley, Liverpool and Manchester had confirmed cases of Covid-19, with some of these among teachers.

Coronavirus: Lower attendance at schools in the North

Separately, a written parliamentary answer showing unadjusted figures for school attendance by region has been placed in the House of Commons library for the same week ending 15 October.

This highlights the significantly lower pupil attendance rates of schools in the North compared with regions in the South.

The Northern Powerhouse has called on the government to recognise the impact that low attendance figures will have on pupils in the region and scrap next year’s exams.

The government is consulting on contingency measures for exams in 2021, and has said it will produce plans before Christmas.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Exams are the fairest way of judging a student’s performance, which is why they will go ahead next year, underpinned by contingency measures developed in partnership with the sector.

“Over the coming weeks, we will jointly identify any risks to exams and the measures needed to address potential disruption, with fairness for students continuing to be our priority.”