STATE schools are more seriously affected by Covid-related staff absences than private schools, a new report reveals today.

Teachers at state schools are almost twice as likely to report that one in 10 or more of their colleagues were absent due to Covid, according to research from the Sutton Trust.

Staff absences were more pronounced in the most deprived state schools, which were almost three times more likely than private schools to report the absences.

And a fifth of schools reported that more than 10 per cent of their isolating pupils still do not have access to devices for remote learning if schools close, a figure which almost doubles in the most deprived schools.

The research also highlights differences in staff absences by region, with schools in the north-west of England reporting the highest levels of absence followed by Yorkshire and the north-east of England.

The Sutton Trust is calling on the government to urgently ensure that all pupils have access to a device for remote learning and that schools have adequate funding to pay for cover for absent staff.

Chairman Sir Peter Lampl said: “We must do all we can to ensure that poorer pupils are not further disadvantaged as a result of this disruption.

“As more pupils move to remote learning again, all pupils must have the resources they need to learn from home.”

Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Geoff Barton urged the government to address issues with access to Covid testing and to provide funding to schools and colleges facing costs for bringing in cover staff.

“It beggars belief that almost two years on from the first lock down there are still many schools … that do not have access to the devices their students need to be able to study at home,” he said.

“The government made great play of its efforts to provide laptops to schools last year, but it seems it did not see the job through.”

National Education Union joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said the government had “no real strategy” for schools and continues to have an “inadequate approach” to education recovery.

He said: “This is not a decisive government. It must give schools the equipment they need to ensure proper ventilation in schools and colleges [to] keep Covid infections down.

“It simply isn’t good enough to rely on a workforce of retired teachers appearing from thin air.”

A Department for Education spokesperson 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.

“We are supporting schools through encouraging former teachers to come back to classrooms and extending the Covid workforce fund for schools that are facing the greatest staffing and funding pressures.

“We’ve also asked schools to have contingency plans to maximise attendance and minimise disruption to learning, should they have high rates of staff absence, and are working with the sector to share case studies of flexible learning models to support the development of those plans.”