ASCL comment on Week 27 school attendance figures

Commenting on the Week 27 school attendance figures published by the Department for Education today, Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“This is another massive rise in Covid-related pupil absence. The vast majority of these absences are children who are self-isolating not because they necessarily have the virus themselves, but because of potential contact with a positive case.

“It highlights why the government’s rules on Covid management in schools and colleges must change in order to end this educational disruption and the Prime Minister yesterday confirmed this will happen as part of the step 4 roadmap in England. We look forward to hearing the details from the Education Secretary this afternoon.

“In the meantime, we can only pay tribute to schools and colleges for all that they are doing to manage this incredibly difficult situation.”