Commenting on reports of school closures amid a winter flu crisis, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“We have seen flu outbreaks in schools having an impact on both pupil attendance and staffing levels. Schools are well versed in hygiene measures and will do all they can to reduce the risk of infection spreading. It is also worth remembering that throughout this term schools have been supporting the NHS flu vaccination programme.

“The vast majority of schools remain open as usual. While there have been some isolated cases of schools being instructed to close, any restrictions on attendance are always an absolute last resort. School leaders would take advice from the Local Authority and local public health teams in such cases.”