Commenting on new research by the Sutton Trust with Teacher Tapp on the impact of the pandemic on schools at the start of this term, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“These figures support NAHT’s own survey findings, showing that staff absence so far this term has been significant. Schools are doing a brilliant job to keep things going in the face of very challenging circumstances, but it is very far from business as usual. There is no escaping the fact that this level of workforce absence will have a significant impact on education.

“It is worrying that schools serving the most deprived areas seem to be reporting the most staff off sick. Children from more deprived backgrounds have had it the toughest during the pandemic and need the most help now, so if there’s some reason they’re being disproportionately impacted by staff absence, that needs to be urgently looked at. It is unacceptable that two years into the pandemic some children and young people still don’t have access to devices for remote learning.

“It is also very concerning that a lack of access to Covid tests might be exacerbating the staffing crisis. Any schools struggling to access lateral flow tests must be helped immediately.”