Over the past decade, the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their classmates at the end of primary school is estimated to have narrowed, from 11.5 months in 2009 to 9.2 months in 2019 according to the Education Policy Institute.
An analysis by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) looking at the impact on the attainment gap as a result of different kinds of school closures concludes that school closures as a result of Covid-19 will widen the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers, likely reversing the progress made since 2011.
The attainment gap rapid evidence assessment estimates that the average gap would widen by 36 per cent, but the estimated rate of gap widening varied substantially between studies, meaning that there is a high level of uncertainty around this average, with estimates for the gap widening ranging between 11 per cent and 75 per cent.
Commenting on the findings, Tom McBride, director of evidence at the Early Intervention Foundation, said, while the figures around the attainment gap widening were ‘expected’, they were concerning, especially for vulnerable children.
Early years settings and schools would also need to prioritise children's emotional needs and well-being as children return, he said.
‘Although the attainment gap is where policy attention is focused, schools and nurseries will not only be facing challenges in terms of academic progress,’ he said.
‘We know from our recent conversations with head teachers that children’s social and emotional needs when they return are at the forefront of their minds.
‘Many children will return to school or to early years settings having experienced some level of stress, anxiety or isolation. Some children will have suffered abuse, neglect, bereavement, family violence or parental conflict. These experiences may manifest in emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.
‘Schools know that they will need to prioritise children’s emotional needs and support their social and emotional development when they return. A focus on relationships and emotional wellbeing will be critical to children’s ability to re-engage and learn, and important for their longer-term outcomes.’
Last month, the EPI called on the Government to implement a school ‘Catch Up Plan’ to provide critical support to those children whose learning has stalled during the lockdown period.
Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust and chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), said, ‘As today’s analysis shows, school closures are likely to have a devastating impact on the poorest children and young people. The attainment gap widens when children are not in school.’
Meanwhile, the EEF has joined forces with the Sutton Trust, Impetus and Nesta to launch a new online tuition pilot to support 1,600 disadvantaged pupils from Years 5- Years 12/13 in the coming weeks, as schools begin to reopen.
The EEF highlighted evidence that one-to-one and small-group tuition was a cost-effective way to support pupils who are falling behind. The Sutton Trust-EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit suggests it can boost progress by five or more months, the foundation said.
Professor Becky Francis, CEO of the EEF, said, ‘The evidence is clear that children learn less when they are not in school. Our analysis today highlights that this particularly impacts those from disadvantaged backgrounds and widens the attainment gap.
‘But there are practical steps we can take to minimise the size of the gaps that are opening up – both while pupils are learning remotely, and as they begin to return to school. Catch-up tuition to complement the expertise of classroom teachers and support those who have fallen furthest behind will be essential and we hope our new online tuition pilot will offer practical help to both schools and pupils at this time.’
The new toolkit is supported by the Department for Education.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said, ‘We know that being in school is vital for children’s education and their wellbeing, which is why we are pleased to see so many children begin to return to school this week. This innovative online tuition pilot is an important part of plans to put support in place to ensure young people don’t fall behind as a result of coronavirus, particularly those facing other disadvantages.
‘We will continue to draw on the expertise of key partners in exploring how best to help greater numbers of pupils make up for time not spent in the classroom. This is in addition to the tremendous amount of work and effort that is going into support remote education during this pandemic.’