The extent to which the Covid pandemic disrupted the curriculum, drove up leaders’ workload and impeded schools’ ability to support vulnerable pupils has been revealed today.
The Covid-19 school snapshot survey, published today by the Department for Education, gathered views from 997 teachers and 1,576 leaders while schools were closed to the majority of pupils during the pandemic in May 2020.
It found that only a fraction of schools were able to deliver all of the regular curriculum during the Covid crisis (6 per cent), while less than a third covered most of the content (27 per cent).
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The research also reveals that nearly half of leaders (45 per cent) found their workload to be less manageable than usual. Most spent more time on admin (73 per cent) and communicating with families (70 per cent).
Meanwhile, at the time of the survey, just half (50 per cent) of schools reported that they could effectively support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The impact of Covid on schools
Other key findings include:
Secondary schools were able to deliver more of the regular curriculum during lockdown
Around half of secondary schools were able to deliver all (13 per cent) or most (37 per cent) of the curriculum, compared with 4 per cent and 25 per cent of primaries, respectively.
Most leaders and teachers needed additional help with technology
Staff said they required extra support for monitoring pupil progress (58 per cent of leaders; 54 per cent of teachers), engaging with pupils (63 per cent of leaders; 50 per cent of teachers), and conducting remote meetings with parents (55 per cent of leaders; 45 per cent of teachers).
There were felt to be “extensive barriers” to the effective use of technology for remote learning
Over three-fifths of schools cited pupils’ access to digital devices (87 per cent), broadband or connectivity for pupils (84 per cent), parents’ or pupils’ digital skills (76 per cent), costs (68 per cent) and the quality or availability of hardware and software (64 per cent).
Teachers did not believe social distancing was feasible
The vast majority of teachers (94 per cent) did not think social distancing could be practically implemented when their school reopened to more pupils. Of these, 75 per cent said the measure was not feasible due to a lack of space on the school premises (eg, classroom size, limited outside space, narrow corridors).
Schools made sure that disadvantaged children had access to free meals at home
Nearly all schools (97 per cent) reported that they were continuing to provide food to pupils eligible for free schools meals (FSM) who were not attending school during the pandemic.
Less than half of teachers felt equipped to support pupils with SEND during Covid
Just 49 per cent said they did have capacity to provide the support, while a quarter (25 per cent) did not. A further quarter (25 per said) were neutral.
Lack of government advice was a barrier to SEND support
Of the schools that did not feel they could effectively support pupils with SEND during the pandemic, around two-fifths (40 per cent) faced barriers relating to a lack of relevant government guidance and advice.
Leaders and teachers worried about balancing wellbeing with catch-up
The vast majority of leaders (82 per cent) and teachers (92 per cent) were concerned about the ability to balance activities to promote mental health and wellbeing with curriculum catch-up when schools reopened to more pupils.
Leaders struggled with workload more than teachers
Leaders were more likely to say their workload was less manageable than usual (45 per cent) than teachers (18 per cent). Meanwhile, a greater proportion of teachers (43 per cent) than heads (15 per cent) found their workload to be more manageable than normal.
Both leaders and teachers spent more time on admin and communication
Leaders reported that they were spending more time on general administrative work (73 per cent) and communicating with parents or guardians (70 per cent). They said they spent less time on planning and responding on pupil assessment, marking pupils’ work and monitoring pupil performance data.
Teachers reported that they were spending more time communicating with parents or guardians (53 per cent), doing general administrative work (45 per cent) and planning online lessons and resources (42 per cent). They said they spent less time on analysing pupil performance data (54 per cent), pastoral support (30 per cent) and marking (57 per cent).
More leaders expecting to change role within a year thought they would leave the profession entirely
In the Covid-19 snapshot survey, almost one in five leaders (18 per cent) who did not expect to be in the same role in 12 months’ time said they were planning to leave the teaching profession entirely. This was three times higher than the proportion (6 per cent) who said the same in wnter 2019.
But the opposite was true for teachers
Just 2 per cent of teachers who did not expect to be in the same role in 12 months’ time were planning to leave the profession entirely, significantly less than the proportion in winter 2019 (11 per cent).
Teachers missed out on professional development
After schools moved to remote learning for most pupils, the majority of primary (70 per cent) and secondary (60 per cent) teachers reported that they had to postpone or cancel at least some of their CPD.
