SIX thousand school pupils were absent in Essex on just one day before the Christmas break because of coronavirus, estimates suggest.

Figures released by the Department for Education estimate that 5,998 pupils in state-funded Essex schools were absent because of Covid-19 on December 16 – 4.9 per cent of all those in schools which responded to the survey.

A further 620 pupils were absent due to attendance restrictions in their school, 137 pupils had to stay at home or isolate in line with government guidance, and 550 were isolating for other reasons.

And a further 106 children were unable to attend lessons because their school was closed – meaning that including absences for non Covid-related reasons 84 per cent of Essex pupils were attending class that day, in the 316 schools which responded.

That was down from 89.2 per cent on December 9.

Some 3.3 per cent of Essex teachers were also off – up from 2.5 per cent a week previously, and also the highest proportion yet.

A DfE spokesman said: “School staff are working tirelessly to ensure classrooms are safe, and it is thanks to their efforts that 99.9 per cent of schools are open once again and millions of pupils have returned to face-to-face learning after the Christmas break."