Coronavirus: Nearly one in five state secondary schools not fully open, government figures show

Increase from week before amid ‘extremely tough circumstances’

Around 18 per cent of state scondary schools were not fully open on 1 October, DfE figures show (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Nearly one in five state secondary schools were not fully open last week, according to the latest government figures. 

This was mainly due to coronavirus-related reasons, according to the Department for Education (DfE). 

Around 18 per cent of state-funded secondary schools in England were not fully open last Thursday, according to the latest data. 

This marked a rise from around 16 per cent the week before.

Geoff Barton from the Association for School and College Leaders (ASCL) said the figures reflect “the extremely tough circumstances in which schools are operating due to the impact of Covid”. 

Around 92 per cent of state schools were fully open on 1 October – down from 93 per cent on 24 September. 

The DfE said schools are considered fully open if they can provide face-to-face teaching for all students over the entire school day, and no groups of pupils are self-isolating.  

Schools shut to most pupils in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with certain whole year groups allowed back from the start of June until the summer holidays.

September marked the first time all students were allowed back in the classroom for months. 

According to the DfE data, 0.2 per cent of state schools were closed on 1 October, with those affected mainly saying it was due to Covid-related reasons. 

Speaking about the latest figures, a DfE spokesperson said: “The vast majority of schools are open, as has been consistently the case since the start of term, with a two per cent increase in the numbers of pupils attending to more than 7.4 million pupils last week.

“Attendance in fully open primary schools is now consistent with what we would have expected before coronavirus.”

They added: “We will continue to work with schools to ensure all appropriate steps are taken to keep pupils and staff safe.”