Exams in 2022 must take differential learning loss into account, a new study of schools in areas of deprivation warns.
The report, from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), is based on interviews with 50 mainstream primary and secondary leaders, most of whom serve disadvantaged areas.
Based on these interviews and the insights of teachers into the impact the pandemic has had on learning outcomes, the report says exams in 2022 need to recognise that many students were hit harder than others and exams next year need to take this into account.
GCSE and A-level exams 2022: Some students have lost more learning than others
“Allowance should be made within the 2022 exams (and consideration of this in future years) for the fact that while the vast majority of pupils have missed classroom learning, some pupils have missed more than others,” the report says.
“Ofqual have recently consulted on potential measures to mitigate these impacts for next year’s exams, and schools will need to know the outcome from this process as soon as possible or they will have insufficient time to support their pupils.”
Furthermore, leaders reported that the accountability system (especially National Curriculum Assessments and Ofsted inspections) needed to recognise “that schools’ experiences, and those of their pupils, have been unevenly impacted by the pandemic and that the effects are likely to be felt for a number of years”.
Responding to these points, an Ofqual spokesperson said: “We have been gathering views from teachers and working with the exam boards and DfE to learn lessons from this year’s arrangements. We will publish the outcome of our joint consultation with the DfE on proposed adaptations for the 2022 exams in the next few weeks.
“We are also working with the DfE on the contingency plans that will be put in place if the government decides it is not possible for exams to go ahead next year. We recently published five reports looking at aspects of learning during the pandemic.”
Mental health concerns
The report also delves into several other issues that have been caused by the pandemic, such as a decline in wellbeing and mental health, with leaders saying the government must “increase funding for specialist mental health and social care services to ensure pupils can get the support they need in a timely manner”.
The report goes on to say that several senior leaders were concerned by the fact that pupils’ wellbeing and mental health “had deteriorated since the pandemic”, with anxiety being the most common symptom.
Schools also reported frustration with child and adolescent mental health services because of issues such as long waiting lists.
And the report calls for a digital access plan to address the growing attainment gap, given how important access to digital devices had been during the pandemic any may prove again in the future.
Other key points detailed in the report are:
- Senior leaders, especially from primary schools, were concerned by the impact of school closures on pupils’ social skills, with some pupils appearing withdrawn and less willing to speak out in class.
- Vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND had “prospered” during partial school closures through smaller groups and greater one-to-one support, but were struggling with the return of full school class since March.
- “Primary leaders were concerned about the emotional and academic readiness of their youngest pupils because the pandemic represents a large proportion of their lives. Some children had not attended pre-school toddler groups and had missed opportunities to develop social and relationship-building skills before starting school,” the report says.
- A few primary leaders mentioned that pupils starting Nursery or Reception had not been toilet trained.
- “Year 1 pupils were said to have poor stamina for learning and to lack word recognition or the ability to write simple letters.”
- The main concern for Year 6 pupils starting secondary school was that they were not “emotionally prepared”. Primary leaders said pupils were “unusually anxious” about the move to secondary school.
- Pupils in Years 11, 12 and 13 were seen as lacking examination practice, resilience and analytic skills.
- Leaders reported that pupils were anxious because of a lack of clarity about assessments in 2022.
- Senior leaders also called for clarity over how assessments would take place in 2022. The subsequent guidance on the recovery curriculum and the consultation on assessment arrangements in 2022 “will no doubt be welcomed by leaders, but they really wanted this information much sooner”, the report says.
- “Most leaders thought academic recovery was an ongoing issue that would continue to require support” over the medium and long term, but they were also concerned by government rhetoric on “catch up”.
- “Leaders felt that accountability measures should take account of the fact that schools have been differently impacted by the pandemic and many will still be in recovery for years to come.” They added that lack of funding was a considerable obstacle to recovery.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the report underlines that current government spending on education recovery “does not go far enough” and more needs to be done.
“Of particular concern is the finding that most school leaders reported more pupil wellbeing and mental health problems than usual and that a substantial minority noted an increase in severe mental health issues, including self-harm,” he said.
“The report recommends the provision of adequate and sustained recovery funding which gives senior leaders sufficient flexibility to provide targeted support for wellbeing and enrichment as well as academic support.
“We think this flexibility is vital and that the government’s focus so far on tutoring programmes as the main strategy for recovery is far too narrow in scope.
“The government must also, as the report recommends, boost specific investment for wellbeing and mental health support both in schools and for specialist child and adolescent mental health services.
“This latter priority pre-dates the pandemic with schools often reporting severe difficulties in accessing services which are obviously inadequately funded and unable to cope with demand.”
Meanwhile, Ruth Maisey, education programme head at the Nuffield Foundation, said: “This NFER research reveals that most school leaders report a deterioration in pupils’ wellbeing, especially increased anxiety, as a result of the pandemic.
“And that without early intervention, there is a risk these difficulties will escalate, potentially leading to more severe mental health issues and affecting pupils’ learning in the longer term.
“The research also finds that headteachers are having difficulty trying to secure the external, professional support needed to help pupils with the challenges they face, highlighting the need for recovery measures to support children’s wellbeing as well as academic ‘catch-up’.”
