New figures reveal the scale of disparity in the amount of Covid disruption faced by schools in different parts of the country in recent weeks.

Figures published for the first time today by the Department for Education show major differences in attendance for secondary school pupils.

They show that average attendance in secondary schools across the country has ranged from 59 to 94 per cent since the start of last month.

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Teaching unions and policy analysts say the new data shows the scale of the differing disruption that the DfE needs to take into account when setting exams and helping pupils to catch up.

Analysis by Tes shows that there are more than 20 local authority areas of the country where at least one in four secondary pupils have been off school over the past six weeks.

The authority with the lowest average attendance during this time was Medway, where the figure was 59.5 per cent. Sandwell - which, at its lowest point, had 37 per cent of secondary pupils in school - Hull, Stoke on Trent, Rochdale and Luton have all had average attendance below 70 per cent in secondary schools since the start of last month. 

Here is a breakdown of the education authority areas with the highest and lowest average secondary school attendance figures in the six weeks from November 5 to December 10 this year.

20 authority areas with the lowest average attendance at secondary school over the past six weeks

20 authority areas with the highest average attendance at secondary school over the past six weeks