Commenting on the latest figures from government on school attendance released today, comparing data from the start of this half-term to the end of the previous half-term, James Bowen, director of policy for school leaders' union NAHT, said:

"These latest figures appear to show the ‘half-term’ effect that some were anticipating, although attendance remains lower than it would be in a ‘normal’ year.

"As predicted, schools being closed for a week does appear to have had an impact on the number of cases among pupils and so attendance levels at the start of the new half-term have improved. It’s important not to over-interpret short-term data, but this does appear to belie the suggestion from some that schools are not playing a key role in Covid transmission.

"The government now needs to do everything possible to make this the start of a downward trend and not merely a blip before cases start to rise again. Last half-term there was a sense that government was simply sitting back and watching Covid numbers rise – we do not want to see that again this half-term.

"Once again we reiterate our calls for better support for schools that need to improve ventilation, a change to the guidance on self-isolation for siblings, and financial support for schools that are struggling with increasing supply costs."