The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) found that 93,514 pupils were “severely absent” – absent more often than they were present – during the autumn school term. In a newly pubished report titled “Kids Can’t Catch Up If They Don’t Show Up”, the think tank reports that the total number of absent youngsters has risen by 54.7% year-on-year.

My comment:  I think, if I were a parent of a young child, I might keep the kids at home as well if I felt that the local educational authority had not taken adequate steps to keep children safe from covid, and other infections as well.  Companies appear to be desperate for workers – perhaps the missing workers are keeping their children at home for safety’s sake?