Record number of pupil absence to school since March due to Covid
More than 375,000 pupils are off school as a result of Covid, up from 239,000 the previous week. This includes 275,000 children who have been forced to self-isolate because of a case at school, a 60 per cent increase in the space of a week, according to the latest official data.
Figures published today by the Department for Education (DfE) show that 5.1 per cent of all children in England were not at school last Thursday due to a Covid-related reason, up from 3.3 per cent the week before.
Sajid Javid, in his first appearance in the Commons as Health Secretary on Monday, vowed to take "fresh advice" on the issue of children being sent home from school to self-isolate.
This week the Department for Education issued guidance to schools on Monday suggesting that isolation could be ...