The number of schoolchildren in England off sick or isolating due to Covid has more than tripled in a fortnight, new figures show.
In total, 201,600 pupils were off for Covid-related reasons on March 17, up from 45,100 on March 3, according to the Department for Education.
Teachers and unions have warned the level of absences threatens to "seriously damage" youngsters exam grades and that ending free and regular testing in schools was "clearly a bad call".