Pupils three months behind on learning as new term starts

By Nuffield Foundation

Pupils are on average three months behind on their learning as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, with the most deprived pupils and those from BAME backgrounds most likely to be affected, according to new research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

The report examines the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the learning of children and young people, and the challenges schools face in reopening to all pupils this month.

Jointly funded by Nuffield Foundation and NFER, the study is based on a weighted sample of almost 3,000 school leaders and teachers across over 2,200 mainstream primary and secondary schools in England. The report focuses on new data collected towards the end of the last academic year (July), showing the changing nature of the pandemic’s impact on pupils, teachers, schools and communities, and schools’ plans and concerns ahead of reopening to all year groups this month.

Teachers estimate that their pupils are three months behind in their learning:

Nearly all teachers (98%) report that their pupils are behind where they would normally expect them to be in their curriculum learning. Teachers estimate that their pupils are three months behind, on average, with 21% reporting that boys have fallen further behind normal expectations than girls.

In July, teachers had covered, on average, only 66% of the usual curriculum during the 2019/20 academic year. Based on teacher estimates, the learning gap between between disadvantaged pupils and their peers had increased by 46%. Teachers in the most deprived schools are over three times more likely to report that their pupils are four months or more behind in their learning compared to teachers in the least deprived schools (53% compared to 15%).

Pupil and parental engagement with remote learning remained low during July, alongside low attendance from pupils eligible for return:

During July – when the majority of pupils were expected to learn remotely – there remained low levels of parental and pupil engagement (38% of pupils returned their last piece of set work compared to 42% in May). Additionally, school leaders reported that only 56% of pupils eligible to return attended, with lower attendance among pupils eligible for the Pupil Premium (45%) and those from BAME backgrounds (49%). Almost one third (32%) of school leaders highlighted parental concerns over safety as a common reason for non-attendance. Leaders in schools with high proportions of pupils from BAME backgrounds were more likely to report parents having safety concerns than schools with no BAME pupils (65, compared to 35%). Providing parental reassurance will be important to ensure the full return of pupils to school this month.

The quality of in-school teaching was impacted by COVID-19, highlighting the challenges that schools, teachers and pupils will face as they open fully:

Almost three quarters of teachers (74%) did not feel able to teach to their usual standard under the regulations that were in force. In an open response questions, almost half said that distancing requirements had negatively impacted their teaching practices. This resulted in them no longer being able to utilise core elements of pedagogy (such as group work), nor did they feel able to move around the classroom to teach, support and interact with their pupils effectively. Over half of school leaders (51%) reported that they were using teaching assistants (TAs) to lead classes, as a way of managing smaller classes, and 46% of teachers said that they were mainly teaching pupils they did not usually teach. These challenges are expected to remain as schools reopen, as a result of social distancing requirements.

Almost half of pupils are in need of intensive catch-up support, with those from the most deprived schools and schools with highest proportions of pupils from BAME backgrounds in greatest need:

Teachers estimate that 44% of their pupils are in need of intensive catch-up support. Teachers’ estimates are 25 percentage points higher in the most deprived schools, compared to the least deprived (57 compared to 32%). They are also significantly higher (by 18 percentage points) in schools serving the highest proportion of pupils from BAME backgrounds, and this relationship persists after controlling for the effects of deprivation.

In July, almost 90% of school leaders predicted they will find it at least somewhat manageable to open to all pupils safely, although many identify the need for additional staffing and resources:

School leaders who have concerns about the manageability of opening their schools, say they need additional staffing and resources, including teachers, Teaching Assistants (TAs), support staff, cleaning and protective equipment, and IT. Some of the costs associated with these additional needs will be met by government schemes.

In case of further outbreaks of COVID-19 and local lockdowns, there needs to be enhanced plans for interactive remote learning and IT equipment for pupils and staff:

Evidence on effective distance learning highlights the importance of interactive learning, consolidating learning and supporting pupils to self-regulate as effective strategies (as part of a mixed diet of provision). However, by July, teachers were no more likely to be offering interactive teaching methods than earlier in lockdown.

Although many schools were supplying IT equipment to their staff, over one third of teachers (35%) were providing their own laptop or computer, and three-fifths either supplied their own camera/video equipment (41%) or had no access to this at all (21%). Additionally, leaders report that 28% of pupils have limited access to IT at home – a similar level to NFER research conducted in May.

The report outlines a series of recommendations, which includes: the need for increased parental reassurance; support for schools in managing non-attendance; additional resources for costs associated with managing the demands of COVID-19; the need for Ofsted to modify expectations for schools in upcoming inspections; and schools needing more government support to prepare for remote learning in a local lockdown.

Dr Angela Donkin, Chief Social Scientist at NFER, said: “Whilst it is crucial that children catch-up, we should not assume that teachers will immediately be able to deliver the same quality of teaching, at the same speed, as before the pandemic”,

“There remains a range of barriers for teachers and schools, which means catch-up should be seen as part of the ongoing process of learning recovery, for most pupils, rather than as a quick-turnaround solution.

Josh Hillman, Director of Education at Nuffield Foundation, added: “From September, schools will be trying to close the disadvantage gap while also balancing social distancing measures and delivering the curriculum for all pupils.

“Rather than being a quick-fix, school catch-up schemes will need to be sustained if they are to be effective, and we would welcome additional government guidance and funding for schools as they develop new ways of working.

“This long-term approach is particularly important given the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on students’ family circumstances, such as increased levels of job insecurity, poverty and relationship breakdowns, all of which could affect their learning and development and further widen the disadvantage gap.”

More about this project


Explore our projects

New

Education | 2025 - 2026

Investigating performance across Key Stage 2 maths topics

View project
Teacher with secondary pupils
New

Education | 2024 - 2028

Teaching improvement through data and evaluation (TIDE)

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Exploring academic selection and grammar schools in Northern Ireland

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Long-term outcomes of high-achieving disadvantaged children

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Pupil school mobility: types, pathways and implications for education

View project
Young girl using an iPad at home
New

Education | 2024 - 2024

Early years digital media literacy review

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Can digital parenting interventions benefit early language development?

View project
Little girls in primary school uniform

Education | 2024 - 2026

Developing a classroom intervention to improve conversation skills

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Vocabulary for Reading: the power of words

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Spending across different stages of education

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

A feasibility and pilot trial of the Early Years Library

View project
Secondary school music teacher smiles at students working together at a keyboard.
New

Education | 2024 - 2025

Teacher recruitment & retention challenges in England

View project
Young girl using an iPad at home
New

Education | 2024 - 2024

Early years digital media literacy review

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Pupil school mobility: types, pathways and implications for education

View project
Teacher with secondary pupils
New

Education | 2024 - 2028

Teaching improvement through data and evaluation (TIDE)

View project
Secondary school music teacher smiles at students working together at a keyboard.
New

Education | 2024 - 2025

Teacher recruitment & retention challenges in England

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

A feasibility and pilot trial of the Early Years Library

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Can digital parenting interventions benefit early language development?

View project
New

Education | 2025 - 2026

Investigating performance across Key Stage 2 maths topics

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Vocabulary for Reading: the power of words

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Spending across different stages of education

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Exploring academic selection and grammar schools in Northern Ireland

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Long-term outcomes of high-achieving disadvantaged children

View project
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2024

Artificial intelligence and education

View project
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2024

Artificial intelligence and education

View project
Two little boys and a little girl, all wearing primary school uniform, work together to solve a puzzle in their classroom.
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2025

What has ‘Free School Meals’ measured and what are the implications?

View project
Father and daughter having fun at home
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2024

Optimisation and feasibility of Triple P parenting programme for remote delivery

View project
Early years professionals playing with children
In progress

Education | 2022 - 2024

Understanding the take-up of early education entitlements

View project
Primary school children using a microscope during a lesson outside at school
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2025

Purposeful and effective practical work in primary school science

View project
Male and female apprentices looking at car engine
In progress

Education | 2022 - 2025

Work or study? Gender and the transition from school to work

View project
Two teenage male pupils study a science lesson as part of their post-16 options
In progress

Education | 2019 - 2024

Post-16 pathways: the role of peers, family background and expectations

View project
Teacher helping primary school girl with schoolwork in the classroom
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2024

The impact of additional learning needs identification in Wales

View project
Teenage sixth form students taking notes in a lesson
In progress

Education | 2022 - 2024

Comparing inequality and outcomes across post-16 education in the UK

View project
Teenage sixth form students walking into college
In progress

Education | 2022 - 2025

The long-term impact of the Education Maintenance Allowance

View project
Little girl watches TV on her own at home
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2025

Do same language subtitles help children learn to read?

View project
14 year old girl doing homework
In progress

Education | 2022 - 2024

Experiences of 14 to 16 year olds in Further Education in England

View project
Young girl using an iPad at home
New

Education | 2024 - 2024

Early years digital media literacy review

View project
Secondary school music teacher smiles at students working together at a keyboard.
New

Education | 2024 - 2025

Teacher recruitment & retention challenges in England

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

A feasibility and pilot trial of the Early Years Library

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Can digital parenting interventions benefit early language development?

View project
New

Education | 2025 - 2026

Investigating performance across Key Stage 2 maths topics

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Vocabulary for Reading: the power of words

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Spending across different stages of education

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Exploring academic selection and grammar schools in Northern Ireland

View project
New

Education | 2024 - 2026

Long-term outcomes of high-achieving disadvantaged children

View project
School children with their bicycles in the school yard. Happy as a girl and boy walk pushing them side by side.
New

Education | Welfare | 2022 - 2024

Modifying school choice for more equitable outcomes in England

View project
New

Education | 2022 - 2023

The medium-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pupils with SEND

View project
Reception class children using a parachute in a PE lesson
Reported

Education | 2022 - 2023

A movement and story-telling intervention for reception children

View project
Side view of two female high school students in classroom working on laptops social distancing. Student in foreground is in focus and student in background is blurred
Reported

Education | 2021 - 2022

COVID-19 and disadvantage gaps in England 2020 and 2021

View project
Close up of a young girl and her father wearing protective face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic outside.
Reported

Welfare | 2021 - 2023

The Economy 2030 Inquiry: navigating a decade of change

View project
Young boy draws and plays with a globe as part of nursery education
Reported

Education | 2020 - 2022

COVID-19 and childcare: local impacts across England

View project
Reported

Education | 2020 - 2022

Ethical principles underpinning co-production with young people

View project
Reported

Education | 2020 - 2021

COVID-19 mitigation measures: education provision and access to special schools

View project
Young-boy-uses-tablet-with-mother-for-maths-learning-Can-maths-apps-add-value-to-learning-PROJ
Reported

Education | 2020 - 2022

Can maths apps add value to learning?

View project
Toddler-gleefully-eats-baked-beans-How-COVID-19-is-affecting-food-security-proj
Reported

Welfare | 2020 - 2021

How the COVID-19 crisis is affecting food security

View project
Male secondary school student working at home on laptop
Reported

Education | 2020 - 2021

The impact of COVID-19 on mainstream schools in England

View project
Teenage-girl-looks-at-smartphone-next-to-laptop-Growing-up-under-COVID-19-PROJ
Reported

Education | Welfare | 2020 - 2022

Growing up under COVID-19

View project
Mother carrying daughter outside their home
Reported

Welfare | 2020 - 2022

COVID realities: families on low incomes during the pandemic

View project
Woman-looks-at-smartphone-screen-How-the-UK-public-gets-information-about-COVID-19-PROJ
Reported

Welfare | 2020 - 2020

How the UK public gets information about COVID-19

View project
Search projects

We improve people’s lives by funding research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare and Justice. We also fund student programmes that give young people skills and confidence in science and research.

We offer our grant-holders the freedom to frame questions and enable new thinking. Our research must stand up to rigorous academic scrutiny, but we understand that to be successful in effecting change, it also needs to be relevant to people’s experience.

Profile