Nearly three-quarters of secondary schools welcomed back Year 10s and/or Year 12s last week, according to new Department for Education figures.

The DfE estimates that 74 per cent of secondary schools, excluding FE colleges and special post-16 institutions, were open to these year groups on 25 June, up from 60 per cent on 18 June.

September school opening plans: DfE ‘puts full attendance above teacher safety rotas’

Background: School reopening day attendance at 40-70%, say heads

Previous figures: 40% of secondaries didn’t take extra students last week

Ministers had said they wanted secondary schools to offer some “face-to-face support” to students in Years 10 and 12 from Monday 15 June, to supplement learning done at home.

Coronavirus: Reopening schools

Approximately 13 per cent of Year 10 and Year 12 students were in attendance on 25 June, excluding students in FE colleges and special post-16 institutions - up from 10 per cent on 18 June.

The department’s guidance states that schools and colleges are able to have a quarter of their Year 10 and Year 12 cohort in attendance at any one time to reduce the risk of transmission.

Year 1 was the year group that saw the biggest increase in attendance last week, the figures show.

Attendance was highest in Year 6, with around 41 per cent of children in attendance on 25 June, up from 34 per cent on 18 June - an increase of seven percentage points.

But Year 1 saw a rise of eight percentage points, from 26 per cent to 34 per cent.

The figure for Reception pupils was 36 per cent, up from 29 per cent the week before.

In secondary schools, approximately 13 per cent of Year 10 and Year 12 students were in attendance on 25 June, excluding students in FE colleges and special post-16 institutions, up from 10 per cent on 18 June.