Omicron: Covid reaches all-time high in nurseries as schools hit by ‘severe low attendance’

‘We are hearing about many more cases with staff becoming ill and children having to stay away’

More nurseries than ever are reporting Covid cases and schools are facing “severe low attendance”, education groups have said in a stark warning about the ongoing impact of the pandemic on settings.

It comes after an education union called for a staggered return after the Christmas break amid the threat of the omnicron variant.

Data published by Ofsted shows a record number of nurseries are reporting at least one Covid case in their settings since September last year, when records began.

Towards the end of last month, 2,707 early years and childcare settings said they had an infection in their mix. The previous record-high was just under 2,400 in February.

Jonathan Broadbery from the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said: “The numbers of Covid-19 notifications in early years settings have increased dramatically in recent weeks, reflecting the community transmission that is being reported.”

He added: “These cases have a massively disruptive influence on children’s experiences in early education settings when they have already missed out on so many experiences.

“We are hearing about many more cases with staff becoming ill and children having to stay away, resulting in more lost learning.”

Meanwhile, Geoff Barton from the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) warned some pupils were facing disruption to face-to-face education due to the impact on Covid.

“Listening to the speculation and the news, and certainly the emails I’ve been getting from members, you are getting some pockets of very severe low attendance, partly young people, partly staff,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme.

“One has emailed me this morning saying 25 per ecent of staff have been off for three weeks. You can imagine if you can’t then get supply teachers that becomes very difficult to maintain the quality of education.”

The latest government figures on school attendance in the pandemic are due later today.

On 25 November, when the latest available data is from, 208,000 children were estimated as off school due to a Covid-related reason.

More than half of these - 106,000 - were not at school due to a confirmed Covid case.

The Department for Education has been approached for comment.