Home learning method so far ‘doesn’t work’

Children’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson said the home learning carried out during the pandemic “just doesn’t work”.

He said Education Secretary John Swinney’s blended learning proposals would result in disadvantaged children falling further behind.

He also warned the poorest children would go hungry over the summer due to pressure the pandemic has put on charities and other services that help the most needy.

Mr Adamson believes the crisis is affecting pupils of all backgrounds and warned they are being hit by an “education and mental health crisis”.

“It is not scaremongering to say what we are talking about is a risk of long-term impact on emotional and psychological impact on children,” he said.

The new academic year is scheduled to start on August 11 with safeguards including “blended learning” to ensure physical distancing.

But Mr Adamson said the last three months suggested Mr Swinney’s blended model would not be enough, as it stands, to ensure children do not lose out.

“We know the homebased learning that they have been doing just doesn’t work,” he said.

“It is no substitute whatsoever for a real-life, school-based education. And the proposals for what has been described as blended learning unfortunately still seem to be heavily based on home learning,” he said.

“It is not enough for local authorities to say they don’t have enough resources or government to say they’ll consider resources. It is about moving resources to secure children’s education.”

Mr Adamson said it had been shown blended learning worked best for

“Fall behind in education and physical and mental health”

children at schools that were able to deliver the most interaction with teachers.

Children from better-off families with fast internet connections, private space at home for working and good computer technology outperformed those from poorer households.

“The attainment gap is going to get worse,” he warned, particularly for children who are care-experienced or have additional support needs.

“If additional support isn’t available, they will fall behind in terms of their education and physical and mental health,” he said.