DfE attendance statistics

A Department for Education spokesperson said:

“Schools, colleges and early years settings across the country worked extremely hard to remain open throughout the autumn term, implementing safety measures and providing remote education where children were self-isolating.

“We are now keeping schools and colleges open to critical worker and vulnerable children and those protective measures remain in place to help protect staff and students, while the national lockdown helps reduce transmission in the wider community.

“Schools are restricting attendance during this lockdown period not because they are ‘unsafe’, but because the government is taking every possible measure to reduce cases in the community and protect the NHS. They are providing pupils with online lessons in line with strengthened minimum standards of remote learning.”

Additional background:

• We expect schools to work with families to ensure all critical worker children are given access to a place if this is required. If critical workers can work from home and look after their children at the same time then they should do so, but otherwise this provision is in place to enable them to provide vital services.
• Secondary schools and colleges should continue to setup and rollout their rapid testing provision for those on site, and follow all existing protective measures that have been in place throughout the autumn term, to reassure staff and families about on site provision. The Department remains committed to rolling out testing for the primary workforce later this month.
• Where possible, the size of groups of children within school should be minimised, but this is not a requirement.
• Schools have been closed to most pupils during the lockdown not because they are unsafe, but because the government is taking every possible measure to reduce cases in the community and protect the NHS. It does not undermine the lockdown to host vulnerable and critical worker children on site during this period.
• Any schools facing operational difficulties with following the guidance and accommodating the necessary children on site should contact their Regional School Commissioner team for support.
• We are acutely aware of the additional challenges faced by disadvantaged children during this crisis and have put in place measures to mitigate the impact on them. That includes buying more than one million laptops and tablets for schools and colleges to distribute, and partnering with the UK’s leading mobile network operators to provide free data to disadvantaged families which will support access to education resources.
• We have continually assessed the impact of the national restrictions and access to education on all pupils. As part of that effort we have commissioned an independent research and assessment agency to provide a baseline assessment of catch up needs and monitor progress over the course of the year to help us target support.

Summary of stats:

• On 16 December, 98.5% of state-funded schools were open, down from 99.2% on 10 December. This decrease is due to more schools being closed for COVID-19 reasons, compared to 10 December.
• Attendance on 16 December in state-funded schools was 79%, down from 85% on 10 December. Attendance in state-funded primary schools was 86%, down from 89% on 10 December and attendance in state-funded secondary schools was 72%, down from 80% on 10 December.
• We estimate approximately 9-11% of pupils in state-funded schools did not attend school for COVID-19 related reasons on Wednesday 16 December.
• Approximately 28% of state funded schools of state-funded schools reported they had one or more pupils self-isolating who had been asked to do so due to potential contact with a case of coronavirus inside the school. This equates to 61% of state-funded secondaries up slightly from 10 December, and 20% of state-funded primaries, down slightly from 21% on 10 December.
• Between 19-21% of schools reported 30 or more pupils self-isolating due to potential contact with a case of coronavirus inside the school, which is similar to 10 December.
• Most groups asked to self-isolate are relatively small. On 16 December the average (median) was approximately 14 to 15% of the total number on roll in state-funded primaries (same as 10 December) and 7 to 8% in state-funded secondaries (same as 10 December). On average these proportions equate to the size of a year group in primary schools and just under half a year group in secondary schools.
• The average (median) number of pupils isolating, per confirmed pupil COVID-19 case within state-funded schools was 28, down from 29 on 10 December.