Schools and the Pandemic

The pandemic has been incredibly challenging for the education sector. There was no blueprint for schools to follow, no guide telling head teachers how to provide remote learning. Some schools were at a digital disadvantage, unable to deliver lessons to pupils remotely, either because the school did not have the resources, or because pupils did not have the right devices or reliable internet access. Those schools that were able to deliver remote learning successfully still faced challenges. Laura Castree, a secondary school teacher, told us, “A huge part of teaching is deciphering what your pupil needs and planning accordingly; this became incredibly difficult when teaching remotely, and we had to overhaul resources, teaching styles and priorities practically overnight.” Many children fell behind with their schoolwork during the lockdowns. When pupils returned to school, teachers were then faced with classrooms of children all at different stages of their learning. Disadvantaged children fell even further behind their peers. Even more worrying was the effect of the pandemic on children’s mental health. When surveyed, most schools said that some of their pupils were suffering from Covid-related anxiety. OFSTED found that some children had lost physical fitness, others showed signs of mental distress, and there was an increase in eating disorders and self-harm. It hasn’t just been pupils who have struggled with mental health. The pandemic came on the back of years of per-pupil spending cuts, increased class sizes and numerous curriculum changes, so thousands of teachers were already suffering from work-related stress. A 2019 survey by the teachers’ union NASUWT found that 70% of teachers felt their job had adversely affected their mental health. By September 2020, more than half of teachers said that their mental health had declined further. By April 2021, 43% of teachers were experiencing all four of the main symptoms of burnout. It’s hardly surprising that teachers struggled, considering the additional pressures they were under. Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, commented, “Our teachers have had to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances on many occasions. They have: rapidly become experts in delivering remote learning; run on-site provision for the children of key workers and vulnerable children during lockdowns; managed complex Covid safety measures; set up testing stations to enable pupils to return to classrooms; and, most recently, taken responsibility for assessing students following the cancellation of public exams.” It may take years before we understand the longterm effects of the pandemic on children. However, there is a sense of optimism in the education sector. Both pupils and teachers experienced a much more normal return to school this year. Extra-curricular clubs have restarted and children have more freedom to socialise again. As Laura Castree explains, “It has been apparent that some pupils fared better than others during lockdowns, but it was wonderful to see them back in the classroom, and actually the majority returned with a new and positive attitude towards school and their teachers that endured throughout the year and made the catch-up process much easier.”