Ofsted should review how schools have responded to the coronavirus pandemic - but the inspectorate must focus on pupils’ emotional wellbeing, according to the children’s commissioner.

Speaking at a meeting of the Commons Education Select Committee this morning on the impact of Covid-19 on education, Anne Longfield said: “In some European countries, their inspectors have actually increased their inspections during this period, but in a supportive way, so they’ve given guidance to people in this period as well.”

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She added: “I think the clear emphasis needs to be on catch-up, on support for disadvantaged children, support for emotional health and wellbeing as part of that overall analysis, but I think that completely they need to be part of this recovery - a much more supportive role but also really looking at how schools have responded.”

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Ms Longfield was speaking in response to questions over whether Ofsted should review how schools had risen to the challenge during the crisis.

David Laws, executive chairman of the Education Policy Institute think tank, added: “I think it is very important that Ofsted would use the lessons from the period of closure, not least if this is going to go on for some time, and there’s no reason they can’t do a report that looks at best practice, without that being a sort of commentary on each individual school at a time of maximum disruption. They should do a general lessons piece of work, and that would surely be welcomed by most school leaders.”