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More than a million pupils were absent from class for Covid-related reasons last week – a record since schools fully re-opened in March, figures revealed yesterday.
A total of 1.05million were out of school because of the virus on July 15 when a snapshot of absences was taken.
It marked a 25 per cent increase on the 839,700 the previous week and meant 14.3 per cent – one in seven – of all pupils were absent due to the pandemic. That was up from 11.2 per cent the week before. The vast majority of the latest cases – 934,000 – were children isolating due to possible contact with someone testing positive for the virus.
Only 47,200 pupils had a confirmed case of Covid – up from 39,000 the week before – and 34,500 had a suspected case.
The Department for Education figures also showed a further 34,800 pupils were off as a result of school closures due to Covid.
More than a million pupils were absent from class for Covid-related reasons last week – a record since schools fully re-opened in March, figures revealed yesterday
Teaching unions said the rising number of cases heralded chaos when schools return in September. Geoff Barton, of the secondary head teachers' union ASCL, said: 'These figures bring a year of unprecedented educational disruption to a grim end.
'We simply cannot have this level of
