Less than half of primary school pupils called back to school have returned to class

Under the government’s plan for a phased reopening of schools, primary schools were reopened on June 1 for pupils in reception, year one and six.

Figures from Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, which the councils said were provided by the Department for Education, show that as of June 8 more than 95 per cent of Cambridgeshire’s primary schools were open to those specified year groups.

The councils said information provided by the DfE shows that of the 21,493 pupils in the specified year groups on roll at state-funded primary schools in Cambridgeshire, 40.3 per cent attended school on June 8. That figure does not include children of key workers or vulnerable children in other year groups, who have attended school throughout the pandemic.

Out of all 49,275 pupils on roll at state-funded primary schools in Cambridgeshire – across all year groups – the councils said 21.2 per cent attended on June 8.

The councils said 98.5 per cent of all primary schools in the county are open in some capacity, even if they are not yet open for the specified year groups.

No data has yet been made public for the number of students who returned to school on June 1.

Director of education for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Jonathan Lewis, said: “Early indications show the national average to be around 70 per cent [of primary schools opening to specified year groups].

“As has been the case for the continued attendance of vulnerable and key worker children throughout the lockdown period, schools in Cambridgeshire sit well above the national figures.

“This has only been made possible through the continued commitment and drive shown by our school leaders, governors, academy trusts and local authority education staff, who continue to go above and beyond to ensure our schools are safe and able to support children and parents.”

Ahead of the reopening on June 1, Mr Lewis said: “I want to reiterate to parents and carers: it is your final decision on whether to send your children to school or not. We will not penalise any parent who doesn’t send their child to school in this academic year.”