Commenting as the government's latest school attendance data, released today (Tues 5 Apr), shows continuing high levels of Covid-related staff and pupil absence, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“We continue to hear a sense of deep frustration from school leaders as they struggle to deal with the significant and on-going disruption caused by Covid – whilst the government removes every measure they have for controlling it. We all assumed ‘living with Covid’ meant there would be very low case levels – this is clearly not case and absence rates remain at concerningly high-levels. School leaders feel they have been abandoned. The ongoing risk of illness and chaos caused by staff absence, not to mention the mounting pressure of exams, SATs and Ofsted, is unsustainable. Our members and education are at breaking point.”