Covid-19: Over 400,000 pupils in England were off school last week according to new figures

The number of students off school in England because of Covid-19 has risen by 100,000 in the last two weeks, according to the latest government figures.

The Department for Education - which is in charge of schools in England - says one in 20 state school pupils were absent on 20 January, which is around 415,300 school children in total, including primary and secondary pupils.

That's up from roughly 315,000 kids off on 6 January, the first week back after the Christmas holidays.

Pupils off and staff shortages

These figures are the amount of pupils off due to Covid-related reasons, which could also mean having to self-isolate after coming into contact with someone who has coronavirus.

Of the 415,300 that were off on 20 January, more than three-quarters - an estimated 321,800 - were off because they actually had Covid themselves.

That's double the amount of absences as a result of positive cases than a fortnight ago, and triple that from 16 December.

Across England as a whole, about 9% of teachers were absent: 47,000 teachers and other school staff were estimated to be absent in total on 20 January, with half off as a result of Covid.

Paul Whiteman leads the school leaders' union NAHT, an organisation that looks after the interests of headteachers at work. He said schools are "still seeing significant levels of disruption due to Covid, with both pupil and staff absence very high."

"Covid absence figures for pupils are the worst they have been this academic year," he added.

"Our members are repeatedly telling us that they are having to drop everything to find cover and that just keeping things going is a challenge."

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi says he is giving schools what they need to keep pupils in class.

He said relaxing of the rules makes him "even more determined to fight for children to be in school every day they possibly can be".

Mr Zahawi added: "Absence due to Covid is unavoidable, but there are other reasons children miss out on school too."

What are the rules in schools around the UK?

This comes after the easing of Covid rules in England means pupils no longer have to wear face coverings in lessons and changes to the rules on wearing masks in communal areas are expected soon.

In Northern Ireland, secondary school pupils must wear a face covering inside school buildings and in classrooms and have regular Covid tests, but there aren't such rules in primary schools.

Scottish secondary school pupils still have to wear masks though. Similarly in Wales, secondary school pupils need to wear face coverings in communal areas, including classrooms, where physical distance cannot be maintained.