The pandemic disrupted schooling everywhere. But since then record numbers of children have not returned to regular schooling. Data from the Department for Education show that persistent absence - missing roughly seven days a term - is now at a record high. So is this a blip affecting a Covid cohort or a worrying trend toward a breakdown in the social contract between society and school?

David Aaronovitch talks to:

Branwen Jeffreys, BBC’s Education Editor

Produced by: Kirsteen Knight, Sam Haque and Claire Bowes