Large numbers of children are still missing school across Wales this term with ripples from Covid disruption still being felt. Pupils in crucial GCSE exam years 10 and 11, and those eligible for free school meals are the most likely to be off this term .
Latest data, published by the Welsh Government shows 58,571 half day school sessions were missed across Wales between October 3-7, nearly 19,000 of which were listed as unauthorised. School leaders have continued to warn of higher than pre-Covid absences and some children have not returned since classrooms first shut in March 2020.
