Commenting on the latest data released today by the government showing increasing levels of pupil and staff absence due to Covid, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Schools are still seeing significant levels of disruption due to Covid, with both pupil and staff absence very high. Covid absence figures for pupils are the worst they have been this academic year.

“Schools are struggling to keep things running with nearly 10% of their staff off on average – but for some this is much higher.  Our members are repeatedly telling us that they are having to drop everything to find cover and that just keeping things going is a challenge.

“School leaders and their teams are doing a brilliant job but they are still very much in the eye of the Covid storm and there is no escaping the fact that it is having an impact on education.

“This disruption is putting huge pressure on students in exam years. The government needs to look again at its plans and do more to reassure students that exams can be fair and will take into account differences in missed learning.

“If exams do go ahead, the decision to publish performance data this year must be reversed – it is clear that it would be a reflection of the impact of the pandemic on students and schools, not fit for the purposes of accountability.”