The proportion of pupils off school for Covid-related reasons has nearly trebled in just one week, new statistics show.

Data released by the Department for Education today reveals that Covid-related pupil absence in the state sector is currently at its highest rate since schools reopened in March 2021. 

In state-funded schools, with figures adjusted for Year 11-13 students not expected to attend, the proportion of students off for Covid-related reasons was 3.3 per cent on 17 June, up from 1.2 per cent on 10 June.

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In primary schools, the Covid absence rate was 2.7 per cent on 17 June, compared with 1.1 per cent the previous week.

And in secondary schools, 4.2 per cent of students expected to attend were off for Covid-related reasons on 17 June, up from 1.4 per cent on 10 June.

Covid: ‘Extremely worrying increase’ in pupils off school

Meanwhile, the percentage of teachers absent due to Covid has nearly doubled.

Across state-funded schools, Covid absence rates among teachers and school leaders rose from 0.9 per cent on 10 June to 1.7 per cent on 17 June.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned that the figures showed “a large and extremely worrying increase” in pupils missing school for Covid reasons.

“It clearly reflects the climbing rate of coronavirus cases in society in general and the prevalence of the Delta variant,” he said.

“It means that many pupils and schools are experiencing yet more disruption after more than a year of turbulence and it is a grim way to reach the closing stages of the school year.

“Schools have no choice other than to hang on until the end of term, endeavouring to manage this situation, and we can only pay tribute to them for everything they are doing in these extraordinarily difficult circumstances.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union the NAHT, also praised schools for “continuing to work incredibly hard to ensure that all the safety arrangements recommended by government remain in place”.

“However, we can see that case numbers are continuing to rise amongst children and teenagers, and so it is essential that local public health teams are given the freedom to react quickly and put additional precautions in place where this is necessary - seeking central government approval for such action only risks delaying the necessary measures being put in place,” he said.

“This is essential to preserve the continuity of education for pupils. As the prime minister says, Covid will be with us for some time yet.”

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU teaching union, said: “The new attendance figures are very worrying. In secondary schools the rate of absence for Covid-related reasons has tripled in just one week, while in primary schools the rate has doubled in a week.

“If the situation is not brought under control, the national situation on Covid in schools could rapidly return to the unwelcome peaks seen earlier in the pandemic.”

A government spokesperson said: “Schools across the country continue to have robust protective measures in place, including regular twice-weekly testing to break chains of transmission and keeping pupils in smaller group bubbles.

“We are also taking additional measures in areas where there is a high prevalence of the virus, including increasing the availability of testing for staff, pupils and families and working with directors of public health on further measures to reduce local transmission. Absence in schools continues to reflect wider community transmission.

“Where students have to self-isolate, schools are providing high-quality remote education.”