Poorest pupils fall further behind in wake of pandemic

DISADVANTAGED pupils aged seven and eight have dropped up to nine months behind their peers in reading skills and eight months behind in maths, a study into how the pandemic has affected the attainment gap found.

The gap has widened since pre-pandemic, the Education Endowment Foundation and National Foundation for Educational Research said. Their research followed 6,000 pupils who were in reception class and year one, aged four to six, in March 2020 until the spring term of 2022.

While most pupils have caught up, for the most disadvantaged, the picture is bleak.

Poorer pupils who were in year two this spring were around six months behind in reading and around five months behind in maths compared to their more advantaged peers.

In year three, the gaps were nine months for reading and eight months for maths.

The findings have prompted those behind the study to call for pupil premium funding – which is targeted at poorer children – to be protected.