Schools ‘still dealing with effects of the pandemic’
PUPILS are happy to be back to faceto-face learning and schools are returning to normal after two years of Covid-19 pandemic disruption, according to the head of Estyn.
But Owen Evans, the Chief Inspector for Education and Training in Wales, warned that teachers are still having to manage the ongoing effects of remote learning and lockdowns on pupils.
In his interim annual report 202122, published on September 28, Mr Evans said:
academic and social skills have suffered;
use of spoken Welsh has generally declined;
attendance is lower than pre-pandemic; and
progress towards the new curriculum, rolled out from this term, is “too variable”.
The proportion of young people with a disability, including those from special schools, not in education, training or employment has worsened over the past three years
“Overall, learners’ skills have been negatively impacted by the pandemic”, especially numeracy, literacy and speaking skills, the chief inspector adds.
In “some” primary schools “pupils of all abilities often make basic mistakes with grammar, spelling and punctuation and struggle to write at length”.
On secondary schools the document says: “In general, pupils’ oracy, writing and numeracy skills have regressed during periods of lockdown.”
Low school attendance, bad behaviour and wellbeing are also continuing concerns but schools are better able to address problems now because they are more engaged with families.
Covid restrictions also had a negative effect on work placements, practical assessments for vocational qualifications and subjects such as music, design and technology and physical education, but this is starting to recover and extra curricular activities have started again.
In his interim report, Mr Evans takes care to highlights the work schools are doing to tackle problems thrown up by Covid and how they are beginning to move towards the new curriculum.
But Estyn said: “Early indications from the Chief Inspector’s Annual Report 2021-22 show that the education and training sector in Wales is continuing to deal with the effects of the pandemic.”
On the plus side Mr Evans said: ■ most learners have welcomed the return to face-to-face learning and generally engage better than they did online, though many providers are retaining elements of remote learning; ■ the decline in skills during the pandemic has “gradually improved” since the return to more normal education; ■ There is a “strong emphasis” on supporting well-being; ■ extra-curricular activities are starting again; and ■ communication during the pandemic means education providers have a better understanding of the families and communities they serve.
Publishing his interim report, Mr Evans said: “‘These early insights help to make sense of the strengths and challenges for education and training as we begin a new academic year.”