The impact of COVID-19 on educational, language & socioemotional outcomes in KS1

This project will explore the impact of COVID-19 on children’s language skills, socio-emotional development and educational outcomes in the first three years of primary school.

COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns have caused unprecedented disruption to education. The long-term effects of the pandemic are likely to present a complex picture, but current research suggests a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable children. Ofsted has found that that young pupils’ language and communication skills were weaker than usual following lockdown, with increased difficulties in behaviour, attention and social skills. Research has shown that experiences during the first years of school have a significant impact on children’s later outcomes and this study aims to understand the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on children at this point in their schooling and the implications for educational policy.

The research will comprise both primary and secondary data collection. In order to chart the trajectory of their language development and socio-emotional well-being following the pandemic, data will be collected from Reception, Year 1 and 2 children between 2021 to 2024, in 75 primary schools in five different regions of England. Data will also be collected from parents and headteachers annually and this information will be used to assess how home and school factors relate to children’s outcomes. Qualitative interviews will be carried out with Reception and KS1 teachers to explore their perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on children’s language development and socio-emotional well-being, and what changes, if any, had been made to the curriculum in response to the pandemic. Secondary analysis of the National Pupil Database (NPD) will focus on the impact of COVID-19 on children’s educational outcomes by comparing results from the three years before and after the onset of the pandemic. The research team will explore the cumulative long-term impact of COVID-19 on the outcomes of children who have repeatedly suffered learning disruption, and explore how the impact of the pandemic varies by child and school-level characteristics. Finally, the NPD data will be linked to the primary data collected for in-depth exploration of the relationships between educational outcomes, language skills, socio-emotional well-being, and characteristics of school and home.

This research will provide a comprehensive picture of the impact of COVID-19 on the early years of schooling, and will produce specific recommendations for support children may need as they progress through primary school. The researchers will publish six research briefings over the course of the project, and disseminate the findings to schools and parents through annual online networking events and accessible infographics. The final report will be publicly available on the Nuffield Foundation website.