More than three-quarters of schools have reported that children who started Reception in autumn 2020 after the first Covid lockdown have needed more support than pupils in previous cohorts.

The findings from a new report on the impact of the pandemic show that in 44 out of 58 schools surveyed, pupils were seen as needing more help to adjust to the start of school.

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The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) report also says that pupils are particularly struggling with communication and language development, with 96 per cent of schools reporting they were “very concerned” or “quite concerned” by this.

And 91 per cent of schools reported concerns about pupils’ personal, social and emotional development, while 89 per cent said they were concerned about pupils’ literacy.

When asked about how they would access support for pupils, only a minority of schools said they would use the government’s National Tutoring Programme.

Just over half - 52 per cent - of schools surveyed said they would use existing school-based resources, while 23 per cent said they would develop their own resources. Just 2 per cent reported they would use the NTP.

The report, The impact of Covid-19 on School Starters, highlights schools’ concerns about the impact of the pandemic on the youngest pupils.

When asked about their main concerns, over two-thirds of respondents to this question - 67 per cent - referred to disruptions to education, including concerns about attainment, closing the gap and learning regression.

EYFS: Children entered Reception ‘at a much lower level’ after Covid lockdown

One respondent said their concerns were “the learning they have missed during the lockdown. The gaps in children’s learning and how we are going to catch them up.”

Another said: “Many children have entered Reception at a much lower level that previous years, particularly in number, mark making and speech, focus and attention and behaviour.”

“Reading and social skills have taken the largest hit [and] fitness levels and eating habits of children, as more children are overweight than before, so we are adding physical activity to as many lessons as possible,” another commented.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union the NAHT, said: “The findings of this report are concerning but unsurprising.

“A reduction in social interaction with both peers and other adults during lockdown will inevitably have had an impact on some children’s speech and language development.

“Schools know only too well the importance of supporting young children with their speech and language development, and they are expert in creating language-rich environments.

“However, the scale of the challenge must not be underestimated and the government must commit to fully supporting this work and to a multi-year funding boost for schools to enable them to help all pupils recover from the effects of lockdown.

“Equally, the government must properly invest in nurseries and pre-school provision so that all children get the support they need as early as possible.

“Schools also need access to specialist services such as speech and language therapists to provide timely support to those children with the most significant needs.

“Ongoing cuts to those services has meant that too many young children are left without the vital specialist support they need.”

Today, two-fifths of primary schools in England have signed up to take part in a programme to support four- and five-year-olds whose early language and literacy development has been most affected by the pandemic.

In total, 62,000 Reception-age pupils in 6,672 schools will receive the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) this school year, according to data released by the EEF today.