As schools begin to return today a new report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) reveals the the significant impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the learning of children and young people, and the challenges schools face in reopening to all pupils this month
Nearly all teachers report that their pupils are behind where they would normally expect them to be in their curriculum learning.
Teachers estimate that their pupils are three months behind, on average, with 21 per cent reporting that boys have fallen further behind normal expectations than girls.
In July, teachers had covered, on average, only 66 per cent of the usual curriculum during the 2019/20 academic year.
Based on teacher estimates, the learning gap between between disadvantaged pupils and their peers had increased by 46 per cent.
Teachers in the most deprived schools are over three times more likely to report that their pupils are four months or more behind in their learning compared to teachers in the least deprived schools [3] (53 per cent compared to 15 per cent).
During July – when the majority of pupils were expected to learn remotely – there remained low levels of parental and pupil engagement.
38 per cent of pupils returned their last piece of set work compared to 42 per cent in May. Additionally, school leaders reported that only 56 per cent of pupils eligible to return attended, with lower attendance among pupils eligible for the Pupil Premium and those from BAME backgrounds.
Almost one third of school leaders highlighted parental concerns over safety as a common reason for non-attendance. Leaders in schools with high proportions of pupils from BAME backgrounds were more likely to report parents having safety concerns than schools with no BAME pupils
Providing parental reassurance will be important to ensure the full return of pupils to school this month.
Teachers estimate that 44 per cent of their pupils are in need of intensive catch-up support.
Teachers’ estimates are 25 percentage points higher in the most deprived schools, compared to the least deprived
They are also significantly higher (by 18 percentage points) in schools serving the highest proportion of pupils from BAME backgrounds, and this relationship persists after controlling for the effects of deprivation.
Dr Angela Donkin, Chief Social Scientist at NFER, said: “Whilst it is crucial that children catch-up, we should not assume that teachers will immediately be able to deliver the same quality of teaching, at the same speed, as before the pandemic”,
“There remains a range of barriers for teachers and schools, which means catch-up should be seen as part of the ongoing process of learning recovery, for most pupils, rather than as a quick-turnaround solution.
Josh Hillman, Director of Education at Nuffield Foundation, added: “From September, schools will be trying to close the disadvantage gap while also balancing social distancing measures and delivering the curriculum for all pupils.
“Rather than being a quick-fix, school catch-up schemes will need to be sustained if they are to be effective, and we would welcome additional government guidance and funding for schools as they develop new ways of working.
“This long-term approach is particularly important given the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on students’ family circumstances, such as increased levels of job insecurity, poverty and relationship breakdowns, all of which could affect their learning and development and further widen the disadvantage gap.”
