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25 April 2026

Author: James Carr

Pupil attendance fives times higher than during first lockdown

There are around five times more pupils attending state primary and secondary schools than during the first national lockdown, new government figures have revealed. The latest attendance data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows that as of January 13, attendance was at 21 per cent in primary schools and 5 per cent at secondary […]

Primary staff Covid testing: what the new guidance says

Primary schools began receiving deliveries of lateral flow device (LFD) home testing kits today for their staff. The arrival of kits marks the next stage in the government’s mass-testing rollout and the Department for Education has released new guidance on how the tests should be used. This is what we know so far …   […]

Rapid Covid tests not authorised to keep close contacts in school, regulator confirms

The use of rapid tests to keep pupils who have been in close contact with Covid cases in the classroom has not been authorised to be used in this way, the regulator has publicly confirmed. The intervention by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) comes after the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) […]

DfE says mass testing in schools will still go ahead despite fresh concerns

The Department for Education has confirmed mass testing in schools – including the roll out to primary school staff next week – will continue as planned despite reports the programme had not been formally approved by the regulator. The Guardian reported last night that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) informed the government […]

Holding back of ‘exceptionally low’ attendance data ‘frustrating’, say EPI

The government has been criticised for holding back publication of “incredibly informative” data showing secondaries had as few as 14 per cent of pupils attending in the last week of term. The Department for Education (DfE) statistics published this week showed the number of pupils missing school due to Covid-related closures nearly trebled in the […]

Mass testing to be rolled out in primaries despite accuracy warnings

Mass testing will be rolled out to primary school staff next week despite experts warning the strategy will “inevitably lead” to more Covid cases in the classroom. Since last Monday secondary schools and colleges have been receiving swab collection kits and essential PPE in order to carry out mass asymptomatic testing. Under the regime, staff […]

Pupil absence due to school closures almost trebled in last week of term

The number of pupils missing school due to Covid-related closures nearly trebled in the last week of the autumn term, with one council area reporting secondary attendance of just 14 per cent. The latest attendance data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows the scale of disruption schools were facing in the same week the […]

On-site Ofsted visits ‘simply unacceptable’, say inspectors

Ofsted inspectors are calling on Amanda Spielman to suspend plans to begin on-site visits during the national lockdown – warning it is “simply unacceptable”. The watchdog is set to begin its new ‘supportive’ monitoring visits on January 18, in spite of partial school closures. However, inspectors who are members in the FDA Union “voted overwhelmingly” […]