Number of children isolating due to Covid-19 rises

12 May 2021

Figures from the Department for Education show that 46,900 pupils were out of school on Thursday 29th April due to coming into contact with Covid-19 at school. This figure is almost double that of the previous week (25,200).

Both the figures for children with a suspected case of Covid-19 and children with a confirmed case of Covid-19 also increased, but significantly less. Suspected cases grew from 6,800 on April 22 to 11,600 on April 29, whilst confirmed cases only increased to 2,700 from 2,400. 

Schools week reported that, despite these increases, the number of children isolating from school due to Covid-19 is still ‘far lower’ than in March 2021, at which time 3.3% (173,000) of all students were not in attendance.

On Thursday April 22, this percentage had dropped to 0.6%.

Furthermore, statistics for staff absence show that 0.5% of teachers, and other staff members were absent due to Covid19-related reasons on Thursday April 29, up from 0.3 per cent the week before. In comparison, 4.2 per cent were absent for reasons not related to Covid-19.

However, the Department for Education (DfE) said that attendance has been ‘consistently high’ and that, on Thursday April 22, primary school attendance had recovered to pre-pandemic levels following the Easter break. A DfE spokesperson said that these ‘high’ levels show “the continued importance of the rapid testing programme for all staff, families and secondary pupils in helping keep the virus out of classrooms”.

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