Schools rose to Covid challenge but it’s not been easy, says report
MATHS, reading, Welsh-language and social skills have all suffered during school closures and Covid lockdowns, the Chief Inspector for Schools in Wales has warned.
The full long-term impact of the pandemic on education is still unclear and the effect on staff should also not be underestimated, head of Estyn Claire Morgan said in her annual report, which was published yesterday.
The document warned that during the disrupted school year:
Pupils’ communication, verbal, social skills and independence have been impacted by school closures and lockdowns and need “ongoing support”;
In nearly all secondaries a proportion of pupils failed to engage at all with learning from home;
Nearly all primary teachers and leaders reported concerns about pupils’ progress;
School time missed by secondary pupils varied enormously, with some missing 12 weeks in the first term back alone.
The document adds that Welsh-language skills are a “potential concern” and there are “challenges” for assessment in secondary schools, FE colleges and work-based learning.
The Chief Inspector admitted that the full impact of disruption to education and the long-term effect on learners is hard to assess and said wellbeing must be a priority.
The 147-page report reviews how schools and other education and training providers adapted to problems caused by the ongoing pandemic. The inspectorate looked at how they supported learners’ wellbeing and education through classroom closures and remote learning.
It repeats warnings from others, including the Children’s Commissioner, that children and teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds suffered most from lack of support and that safeguarding referrals have risen.
Detailing how schools responded to online and blended teaching, the report highlights an “unprecedented degree of
pressure on staff” as they adapted at the same time as managing wellbeing concerns of colleagues, pupils and their families.
“The impact of the ongoing pandemic on our teachers should not to be underestimated”, the Chief Inspector said, and described the “toll” on headteachers as they worked to follow new guidelines, support pupils and help colleagues through anxiety, illness and bereavement.
“Some felt isolated and exhausted, and it was not always clear who was providing emotional support for them,” she added.
What the report said about primary schools:
Nearly all were concerned about pupils’ progress due to the impact of the pandemic;
Disruption to learning in lockdown and self-isolation led to poorer progress in literacy and numeracy skills of many pupils;
Safeguarding referrals often increased during lockdowns;
The Education Policy Institute estimated that pupils experienced an average learning loss of more than three months in maths;
Pupils who didn’t read regularly during lockdown “made little progress”; After lockdowns, many schools noted a deterioration in pupils’ social skills;
Nearly all schools found that the lockdowns adversely affected the wellbeing of pupils.
What the report said about secondary schools:
In some schools, whole year groups missed up to 12 weeks of face-to-face provision in the 2020 autumn term;
During the first national lockdown there was considerable variation in the online provision offered by schools. In particular, the number of live lessons that schools provided varied greatly;
Attendance remained consistently below 90% for the 2021 summer term when schools reopened, compared with average attendance of just below 94%;
The attendance of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds was notably below that of other pupils;
Headteachers reported a rise in persistent absence among specific groups of pupils, such as those eligible for free school meals;
In a few cases, Year 11 pupils did not return to school after the second national lockdown, which left them at risk of leaving school without any qualifications;
Those with additional learning needs (ALN) tended to engage less than other pupils with online learning;
Although pupil engagement with online learning was better during the second national lockdown, the impact on their mental health and wellbeing was more acute.
The report added that Welshmedium schools “faced particular challenges during the academic year”.
It said: “Nearly all Welsh-medium schools reported a decline in pupils’ range of Welsh vocabulary and their use of spoken Welsh as they had limited opportunities to hear and practise the language. This was especially the case for pupils who do not speak Welsh at home.
“Many pupils lost confidence in their ability to speak Welsh and were therefore reluctant to speak Welsh when they returned to school.”
And the divide between pupils from disadvantaged and more privileged backgrounds became more pronounced over the course of the pandemic.
“The former group were less likely to have access to Wi-fi, digital devices and support with their schoolwork at home,” the Chief Inspector said.
“Their families were more likely to be impacted financially by the pandemic and larger families needed to self-isolate more frequently.”
On special schools, the report noted among other things:
Headteachers of special schools were frustrated that school opening guidance didn’t reflect the specific nature and needs of special schools;
The extent to which pupils and families engaged varied;
Pupils with greater needs were less likely to engage;
Many headteachers recounted the “traumatic” experiences that Covid outbreaks have had on their school communities. Issues in FE colleges included:
Some students didn’t have internet access or had insufficient data allowances;
Colleges loaned equipment to learners, provided portable Wi-fi devices or helped with the costs of purchasing mobile data;
Revised assessment for vocational qualifications were more complex to implement than those for GCSE and Alevels, especially for practical assessments;
Work placement opportunities were severely restricted.
Launching the report, the Chief Inspector praised the response of teachers and leaders across all sectors, saying digital, remote and blended learning had improved.
Some had delivered food, devices and work to pupils and helped support families.
“All educators have been flexible and creative, continually adapting in innovative ways,” Ms Morgan said.
“It’s been another very demanding year and everyone working in education and training has once again risen to the challenges.
“The impact of learners’, staff and leaders’ wellbeing on education cannot be emphasised enough.
“Continuing to prioritise their wellbeing is essential to ensure learners in Wales can keep learning.”