School attendance around fives times higher than during first lockdown
The latest attendance data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows that there are around five times more pupils attending state primary and secondary schools than during the first national lockdown.
The figures show that as of January 13, attendance was 21 per cent in primary schools and five per cent at secondary schools.
Last year between March and May, attendance was at 4 per cent in primary schools and 1 per cent in secondary schools.
Pupil attendance in special schools more than tripled from 8 per cent on average during the first lockdown to 30 per cent last week.
Key worker children represented 72 per cent of all pupils attending on January 13 – around 709,000 children.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "The statistics confirm that school attendance is much higher than during the first lockdown.
“This has put schools under tremendous pressure as they have to juggle face-to-face teaching for those in school with remote education for those at home.”
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