Education Select Committee explores learning ‘catch up’
On Wednesday, the Education Select Committee heard evidence on how to support ‘learning catch-up’ as schools begin to open to more children. Giving evidence was the Children’s Commissioner, as well as representatives from the EPI, EEF, Sutton Trust, and Action Tutoring.
Questions from the Select Committee covered the predicted learning loss, guidance from the Department for Education, whether and how schools should open over summer, how much this would cost, and what changes were expected with Ofsted.
On the learning loss, Select Committee Chair Robert Halfon MP cited figures that showed 900 Head Teachers had said that 700,000 pupils were not doing any school work at home. Children’ Commissioner Anne Longfield acknowledged that these figures are likely accurate, which will have largely been impacted by the lack of access many disadvantaged pupils have to technology.
All those giving evidence agreed that there would be significant learning loss as a result of the lockdown, with much of the progress made over the last decade on the attainment gap likely to be reversed. David Laws from the EPI expressed concern that we weren’t going into this ‘education crisis’ in a particularly strong position, as ‘over the last couple of years the closure of the gap appears to have ground to a halt, so we go into this crisis without any positive downward momentum to narrow the gap’.
In addressing this learning loss, discussion was had around schools being open during the summer. Natalie Perera from the EPI outlined their summer school recommendations, that would be focused on ‘wellbeing and social engagement activities’. On staffing, she said: ‘we recommend that those summer camps should or could be primarily staffed by early years workers, play workers, youth workers and, as you say, former teachers. It does not have to rely just on the teaching workforce’.
However, any plans to keep schools open over the summer would need to be decided on as soon as possible. Anne Longfield said ‘there is only a window of about two weeks before they start to run out of time, and that is a really urgent to-do list for everyone who has the power to make it happen.’ Susanah Hardyman from Action Tutoring reiterated this sentiment: ‘I would add that I think the timing is getting very tight to roll out summer schools for this summer, depending on who you are thinking of for the providers, but even for schools to be prepared. That is a big factor—time is ticking’.
This point was further emphasised when discussing the original guidance that had been given when the lockdown was first announced. Professor Becky Francis from the EEF said ‘there was a clear risk in the early days particularly that there could be information overload, and inappropriate instruction’. She went on to say that to compensate for school closures, we will need a ‘sustained’ and ‘multi-faceted programme’ and that any discussions on summer schools must be evidence-based, with the need for a two-year programme rather than a quick fix. Anne Longfield also discussed the importance of consistency in any guidance going forward on what is offered, as this had initially been lacking.
Finally, conversations were had about what role Ofsted might play. Anne Longfield noted that in some European countries, inspections had increased but were working in a supportive capacity, and she hoped that this is the role Ofsted would play in the future. David Laws said that Ofsted should write up a report on best practice in schools during the lockdown, ‘without that being a commentary on each individual school at a time of maximum disruption. They should do a general lessons piece of work’.