Almost every pupil has fallen behind in wake of lockdown

Ofsted chief’s stark warning about lonely and miserable schoolchildren

ALMOST every child has fallen behind at school because of Covid lockdowns, an alarming report warned yesterday.

Inspectors also said loneliness, boredom and misery became ‘endemic’ among pupils during the pandemic.

Very young children were particularly hard hit, with many losing basic language and social skills. And across all age groups, mental and physical heath went into decline as children were less active.

Unveiling her annual state-of-the-nation report, Amanda Spielman, chief inspector of schools, warned children’s education was ‘put on ice’.

‘In order to protect older generations, we asked the youngest generation to put their lives and education on hold,’ she said. ‘As we look forward to the year ahead, we must strive to redress the balance.

‘Every generation gets one chance to enjoy its childhood and fulfil its potential.

We must do all we can to make sure this generation is not denied its opportunity.’

The Ofsted report assesses education and children’s social care over the 202021 academic year. Normal inspections were suspended in lockdowns, but staff visited schools to monitor how they responded to the pandemic.

It found that despite efforts to develop remote learning, ‘nearly all children fell behind in their education’.

Pupils who are normally low-achieving learned the least, but even high achievers struggled to stay ‘motivated’, the report said.

Among young children, many ‘regressed’ in skills by ‘losing physical dexterity and confidence through a lack of practice while confined to their homes’.

In reference to the disruption it added: ‘In primary and secondary schools, children struggled with a hokey-cokey education: in the classroom, at home, separated in bubbles, isolating alone.’ Ofsted called on schools to offer pupils sport and extracurricular activities, to ‘regain a sense of normality’ in their lives.

It said that simply focusing on academic catch-up – while important – was not enough.

Across the rest of Ofsted’s remit, there were many other problems during the pandemic. Children with special education needs or disabilities were unable to access support services. For apprentices and those in vocational training, placements were curtailed and workplaces shut.

And children in care, which Ofsted also oversee, felt less safe due to lockdown restrictions and broken relationships with staff.

The report said: ‘In the worst cases, increased levels of anxiety led to self harm or destructive behaviour.’ Long-standing pressures on care placements grew, with bigger waiting lists and children being placed far from their families, or in unregistered homes.

Pupils in ‘alternative provision’ – typically those with behaviour problems – became more involved in gang violence. Prison inmates wanting to better themselves by completing qualifications were not able to leave cells to study.