School attendance in nearly all eligible year groups is falling slightly as the end of term approaches, the latest Department for Education statistics show.

The figures for 9 July show that attendance was highest in Year 6 - ahead of the transition to secondary school - with approximately 43 per cent of all of that year’s children in school. However, that was slightly down from 44 per cent on 2 July.

Attendance was around 37 per cent in Year 1 and 39 per cent in Reception, slightly down from 2 July (38 per cent and 40 per cent respectively).

Compare: Three-quarters of secondary schools now open to Year 10 and Year 12

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Approximately 13 per cent of Year 10 students were in attendance on 9 July, a slight fall from 14 per cent on 2 July.

Coronavirus: School attendance falls before summer holidays

Meanwhile, 12 per cent of Year 12 students were in attendance on 9 July, excluding students in further education (FE) colleges and special post-16 institutions - the same as on 2 July.

The department’s guidance states that schools and colleges are able to have up to a quarter of their Year 10 and Year 12 cohort in attendance at any one time to reduce the risk of transmission.

The attendance document published today also shows that 16.9 per cent of pupils (1,608,000) were attending schools and colleges in England on 9 July,

Approximately 91 per cent of schools and colleges were open in some capacity on 9 July, down from 93 per cent on 2 July,  and more than 93 per cent of state-funded primary and secondary schools were open in some capacity on 9 July.

The DfE says its education settings status survey, which collects attendance data, will end on 17 July because the summer term will have ended in most schools and colleges by this date.