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The impact of Covid 19 on learning
20th May 2022
For over two years now, our schools have been grappling with real uncertainty. Questions from whether we would be open one day to the next, to how best to support learning, both remotely and in class. At Learning Partners, our staff and school leaders have worked tirelessly to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic on our learners. Initially, they did so whilst working in what felt like the dark. We quickly shifted our skill set from classroom delivery to online. It is only now that evidence-based research is showing the impact of this shift in learning trends on our young people.
This week, the EEF Report May 2022 published the most evidenced based research on the impacts of COVID-19 on learning with some interesting facts.
The report certainly provides food for thought and gives our school leaders and teachers, something to hang their hypothesis of impact on and can help effectively plan for the future without being so much in the dark.
Here are the key findings of the report:
Key findings
- COVID-19-related disruption has negatively impacted the attainment of all pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- There is evidence that the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their classmates has grown.
- There is some evidence that in primary schools, younger year groups (Key Stage 1 pupils) have been the most significantly affected, with lower attainment than previous cohorts across all subjects. Other recent research shows particularly negative impacts for pupils in KS3 (DfE, 2021, 2022).
- Most evidence shows that despite some recovery by summer 2021, on average pupils were not performing as well in both maths and reading as pre-pandemic cohorts.
- Aside from the impact on attainment, which this report focuses on, teachers have frequently reported concerns around the effect on pupil wellbeing. There is also emerging evidence that suggests the pandemic has negatively impacted children's mental health.
The report provides some sobering information which will not surprise many of you. Personally, I was interested to read evidence based research around the impact on writing. Much of this was carried out by Daisy Christodoulou, who led on a training session provided by the trust for our headteachers in November 2021.
‘What about writing? While most results are limited to reading and maths, there is some evidence that the writing outcomes for primary-aged and Year 7 children were lower than expected compared to previous year groups (Christodoulou, 2021, 2022). Christodoulou (2022) also found some evidence of a widening of the disadvantage gap for Year 1 children in writing. There are gaps in the evidence for all subjects outside of literacy and maths— likely caused by the limited use of standardised online tests in other subjects.’
Whether you are teaching our youngest children in our nursery classes or supporting our post 16 students, please do read the EEF report and put in practice some of the pedagogical suggestions for overcoming barriers that you face in your classrooms each and every day. Next year, as a trust we will be looking at sharing cross phase (primary and secondary) expertise and this report is a great starting point for us to move forwards.
Kathryn Krynicki, Director of Primary Education, Learning Partners
For over two years now, our schools have been grappling with real uncertainty. Questions from whether we would be open one day to the next, to how best to support learning, both remotely and in class. At Learning Partners, our staff and school leaders have worked tirelessly to mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic on our learners. Initially, they did so whilst working in what felt like the dark. We quickly shifted our skill set from classroom delivery to online. It is only now that evidence-based research is showing the impact of this shift in learning trends on our young people.
This week, the EEF Report May 2022 published the most evidenced based research on the impacts of COVID-19 on learning with some interesting facts.
The report certainly provides food for thought and gives our school leaders and teachers, something to hang their hypothesis of impact on and can help effectively plan for the future without being so much in the dark.
Here are the key findings of the report:
Key findings
- COVID-19-related disruption has negatively impacted the attainment of all pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- There is evidence that the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their classmates has grown.
- There is some evidence that in primary schools, younger year groups (Key Stage 1 pupils) have been the most significantly affected, with lower attainment than previous cohorts across all subjects. Other recent research shows particularly negative impacts for pupils in KS3 (DfE, 2021, 2022).
- Most evidence shows that despite some recovery by summer 2021, on average pupils were not performing as well in both maths and reading as pre-pandemic cohorts.
- Aside from the impact on attainment, which this report focuses on, teachers have frequently reported concerns around the effect on pupil wellbeing. There is also emerging evidence that suggests the pandemic has negatively impacted children's mental health.
The report provides some sobering information which will not surprise many of you. Personally, I was interested to read evidence based research around the impact on writing. Much of this was carried out by Daisy Christodoulou, who led on a training session provided by the trust for our headteachers in November 2021.
‘What about writing? While most results are limited to reading and maths, there is some evidence that the writing outcomes for primary-aged and Year 7 children were lower than expected compared to previous year groups (Christodoulou, 2021, 2022). Christodoulou (2022) also found some evidence of a widening of the disadvantage gap for Year 1 children in writing. There are gaps in the evidence for all subjects outside of literacy and maths— likely caused by the limited use of standardised online tests in other subjects.’
Whether you are teaching our youngest children in our nursery classes or supporting our post 16 students, please do read the EEF report and put in practice some of the pedagogical suggestions for overcoming barriers that you face in your classrooms each and every day. Next year, as a trust we will be looking at sharing cross phase (primary and secondary) expertise and this report is a great starting point for us to move forwards.
Kathryn Krynicki, Director of Primary Education, Learning Partners
