A by education expert Tim Oates published this week pulls together research into the impact of Covid on schools but does not pull any punches.
The title alone sums up the immediacy and clarity of the analysis: The Covid-19 pandemic may be a thing of the past 鈥 its impact in schools is not.
The paper鈥檚 power rests on its synthesis of research on the impact of Covid on the various key stages.聽As Oates elegantly points out: just as the Covid A-level generation leaves university, and creates the impression of a problem solved; so those who were born and young in 2020-21 arrive at primary school, presenting a fresh set of developmental challenges.
He says in the study: 鈥淐ovid impact is not a thing of the past 鈥 it is moving like a series of waves up through the system.鈥
, Oates suggests some interventions. These centre around an analysis of what went wrong with the . This section is almost as depressing a read as the DfE Covid guidance from back in the day, though it makes a lot more sense.聽
The impact of Covid is moving like a series of waves up through the system.
But he makes some interesting observations about how the pandemic affected students’ sense of – a factor known to be important in the health, wellbeing and academic achievement of pupils. Oates highlights the extent to which pupils who actually attended school or who had regular online lessons felt more connected with school, rather than less.
This was my observation, and that of many other heads. It was a phenomenon which played out in a number of ways: One son of a key worker who was onsite every day told me during April 2020 that this was the best Easter break of his life so far.聽(He was eleven. I said last week that I hope his sixth form years top that experience, but there will be a lot of revision so I鈥檓 managing expectations.)
Some pupils loved online lessons for a host of reasons, and not just because they could stay in bed for longer.聽 Some were grateful because schools, my school included, went to extraordinary lengths to restructure the learning day online and to create virtual social spaces. Schools which stepped up in this way became a focus of community and rightly a focus of support and trust.聽聽
Smaller class sizes and recruiting more teachers are both expensive interventions.
Oates also links school connectedness with oracy. Oates suggests 鈥渦sing oracy (rich question and answer) in the classroom to increase feelings of school connectedness and to provide more information on pupils鈥 thinking.鈥
What could be more simple and powerful than rich question and answer in class? Here of course lurks an uncomfortable truth: given limited time, smaller class sizes mean that pupils not only get to speak more often; they are more likely to be able to hear each other, and to know each other and to therefore listen with respect. Rich question and answer also requires mastery of subject, which is something which appropriately-qualified teachers are going to be more confident in providing.聽
Smaller class sizes, and training and recruiting teachers are expensive and/or challenging interventions.聽Small wonder that it was hoped that providing tutors for a time would do the trick.
As Oates concludes, it will actually require 鈥減rotracted, grinding effort鈥 to solve the issues, not headline-grabbing initiatives 鈥渇ull of artificial intelligence and technology鈥.
The frank urgency of Oates鈥 report will be welcome.
He says: 鈥淚t will require politicians dedicated to following the detail of what is happening on the ground, analysing data, listening to schools and finetuning strategy. Policy formation will need to be followed by well-targeted and effective implementation which gets support to where it is needed most. It will be a long slog, not a walk in the park.鈥
For all of us, the frank urgency of Oates鈥 report will be welcome, even though the reality is far from it in many ways. The biggest danger Oates identifies is that schools will be too adaptive, compromising learning opportunities, standards and outcomes in the process.
This report has helped crystallise my thinking, and I鈥檝e sent it to my leadership team for a round table. I anticipate that many heads will be doing the same, as we continue to deal with the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
