More than one million children missed school last week for Covid-related reasons

20 July 2021, 12:12 | Updated: 20 July 2021, 21:03

More than one million children in England were out of school last week due to Covid-19 related reasons, Government figures show.

The Department for Education released data today that shows an estimated 1.05 million pupils were out of school on July 15, the equivalent of around one in seven (14.3%).

Of the 1.05m pupils who missed school:

- 773,700 pupils were self-isolating due to a possible contact with a case of coronavirus from inside school

- 160,300 pupils were self-isolating due to a possible contact with a case of coronavirus from outside school

- 47,200 pupils had a confirmed case of coronavirus

- 34,800 pupils were absent as a result of school closures due to Covid-19 related reasons

- 34,500 pupils had a suspected case of coronavirus

The proportion of pupils in England out of school for Covid-19 related reasons is on the rise, the figures show.

14.3% were out of school on July 15, up from 11.2% on July 8 and 8.5% on July 1, the DfE said.

A similar trend was seen in teachers and school management, with an estimated 6.6% absent due to Covid-19 on July 15, up from 5.4% on July 8 and 4.2% on July 1.

For teaching assistants and other staff, the proportion absent due to Covid-19 was estimated to be 6.4% on July 15, up from 5.2% on July 8 and 3.9% on July 1.

The attendance figures for state school pupils have been adjusted to exclude those year 11-13 students not expected to attend because they are off-site, the DfE said.

The latest figures come after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that the use of "bubbles" in schools and colleges in England will come to an end as the country eases lockdown restrictions.

Current rules say that children have to self-isolate for 10 days if another pupil in their bubble - which can be an entire year group at secondary school - tests positive for coronavirus.

But Mr Williamson has said it will be up to individual schools and colleges as to whether they scrap the bubble system this week ahead of the summer holidays, following the move to Step 4 of the road map.

This story is being updated