The reality is that it will probably be some time before we completely understand the full impact of the pandemic on our children. However, ongoing research is slowly unveiling the uncomfortable truth that many of us know already: that the impact of school closures is both an ongoing issue and has not just affected children’s learning but also has had much wider implications.
How your child was affected will depend on their age and what stage they were at in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, but the research has revealed some notable and worrying trends.
Pre-schoolers and the 2020 Reception class
During the pandemic there was quite a lot of media coverage about the impact of lockdown on pre-school age children. This is the age when many important skills are developed including social skills, physical skills, and emotional and educational skills. Enforced isolation meant many children missed out on developing these skills.
In May 2022, a report was published (commissioned by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the fourth in a series of reports) which assessed the impact of the pandemic on the development of children who started in Reception for the school year that ran from 2020 – 21.
Their research found that “the proportion of children in their sample reaching the expected levels in all areas of communication and language, physical development, literacy, maths, and personal, social and emotional development was 59% in 2021, compared to 72% for the 2019 cohort.”. This research was supported by school surveys that found “when this cohort of children started school in 2020, over three-quarters (76%) reported that they needed more support than those starting school before the pandemic”.
The research references the fact that teachers were frequently reporting concerns about the impact of the pandemic on pupil wellbeing. And the research also notes that schools still have considerable challenges ahead when it comes to overcoming the impact of the pandemic, with many children in need of targeted intervention.
Lower achievements in reading and maths for Years 1 and 2
In both July and December 2021, EEF published details of research by The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) into the impact of the pandemic on Key Stage 1 pupils.
The research showed that:
By the end of the summer term 2021, Year 1 children remained three months behind where they should be in reading and in maths Year 1 children were one month behind their pre-pandemic peers.
Year 2 pupils were still two months behind in reading at the end of the summer term 2021 although they had recovered to above pre-pandemic standards in maths.
A risk of future underachievement for Key Stage 1 and 2
In March this year, TES Magazine published details of more research by NFER which suggests Key Stage 1 pupils are ‘at risk of future educational underachievement’. This is because the development of literacy skills at an early age has an impact on a child’s later achievements. What’s more, issues with literacy can in turn lead to the risk of reluctant readers, which in turn can lead to low self-esteem and, potentially, bad behaviour.
The research also revealed that by the summer of 2021, maths attainment was most severely affected among pupils in Key Stage 2 with learning recovery much slower than for reading.
Year 3 hit hardest
Yet more research (by Juniper Education) suggests that Year 3 pupils may still be struggling with the “social aspects of learning” with the recovery of this year group being slower than for older pupils. The report says that nearly one in three Year 3 children involved in the research has not met age-related expectations in reading, writing or maths, compared with around just one in five before the pandemic and writing appears to be the area worst affected.
The research reports the concern of headteachers that school closures has meant these children have not had the opportunity to “rehearse the routines, skills and social aspects of learning which they normally develop in Key Stage 1”.
What this means for your child and how we can help
A straightforward summary of the above is that there are an awful lot of primary school children who are struggling and have in some way been adversely affected by the disruption. The pandemic may be officially over, but the challenges it created are very much still with us. Depending on their age, the issues children face may be different, but you are certainly not alone if your child is struggling with maths, literacy and social skills.
A chance to catch up
We agree with the suggestion of the research that targeted intervention can help and that’s what we aim to provide. Our small group workshops are designed around the unique issues of each individual child. That means we will help identify (if you don’t know already) where your child may have gaps or difficulties and tailor their learning to these needs. But perhaps most importantly for many children, is the fact that our small group workshops are a relaxed social setting with other children. This means they can develop those social and learning skills that they may have missed out on, and they can learn in an environment that is pressure free and supportive. It’s targeted intervention but without the added pressure that more intensive tutoring can create.
If you’d like to know more, or to enrol your child, you can find your local MagiKats centre here: https://www.magikats.co.uk/magikats-tuition-centres
Our other posts in this series are:
