Only half of pupils aged 12 to 15-years-old have had a Covid jab as concerns mount over the speed of the schools vaccine rollout.
Just 52.5% of pupils in English state schools have received at least one dose up to January 9 - despite the Government's original aim of offering jabs to all eligible youngsters by the October 2021 half term.
Some 5.8% have received a second jab, after the rules changed last month to offer the age group a second dose.
Vaccination rates were better in older teenagers, as 69.7% of 16 to 17-year-olds having received one jab, and 46% getting a second over the same period.
Worrying figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that 12 to 15-year-olds from poorer areas were less likely to get jabbed than their wealthier peers.
Pupils eligible for free school meals had lower uptake than more affluent children. Only 35.9% of youngsters eligible for the benefit were vaccinated, compared to 58.9%
Children living in the 10% most deprived areas of England the vaccination rate was 36.1%, compared with 70.3% in the 10% least deprived areas.
London had the lowest level of vaccine uptake in this age group with 40.1% of pupils vaccinated, compared with 60.7% in the South East.
The data showed that pupils from Chinese and Indian backgrounds were most likely to have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, with 75.5% of Chinese pupils and 65.7% of Indian pupils aged 12 to 15 having received at least a first dose.
Gypsy or Roma and Black Caribbean pupils were least likely to have been vaccinated, with 12.4% of both groups having been vaccinated.
"Although this is in part related to different levels of deprivation, large differences in the likelihood of being vaccinated by ethnic group still exist after accounting for available deprivation measures," the ONS said.
It comes as attendance data last week showed 5.1% of all pupils were off school because of Covid on January 20, up from 3.9% on January 6 - a record high for this school year, with 415,300 pupils absent in total.
Shadow Schools Minister Stephen Morgan said: “Ministers have failed to tackle the postcode lottery in children’s vaccinations which Labour has highlighted for months, which risks cementing existing inequalities.
“Vaccines are key to keeping children in class learning together, yet more than 45% of 12 – 15 year olds still haven’t had a first dose and vaccination rates are falling.
“The government must redouble its efforts to drive-up vaccination rates, including delivering targeted communications campaigns and school exclusion zones to prevent anti-vaxxers spreading dangerous disinformation.”
Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the initial rollout had been reasonably successful but raised concerns about patchy provision.
"The significant regional variations in the number of students vaccinated are concerning and it is difficult to overlook that the areas with the lowest uptake - London and the North West - were hotspots for very high levels of student and staff absence at the end of the autumn term, a pattern that has largely continued during the first few weeks of the new year," she said.
"Even more worrying is the low uptake of vaccinations among pupils eligible for free school meals and in the most disadvantaged areas of England, as well as among students who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs (SEN).
"These are the students who can least afford more time out of school."
Secondary schools were handed £8million in NHS funding to bolster their on-site jabs programmes last month.
Announcing the cash, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: "My message remains the same as ever – testing, ventilation and vaccinations are our best weapons against the virus – keep testing, and get your vaccination as soon as possible.”
It comes as over 12s will be able to use the NHS Covid pass to prove their vaccination status from February 3, in a boost to families planning half term getaways.
