A study shared with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) indicates that absenteeism is more severe among the poorest children, and they are falling further behind their peers academically. This research highlights the long-term impact of the pandemic on the education of disadvantaged children, necessitating further investigation and support.
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03-17, 2025The latest analysis from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) assesses student performance after the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that children from the lowest-income families are up to 19 months behind their peers in academic achievement by the age of 16. This gap is alarming and indicates that urgent measures are needed to address this disparity and provide targeted interventions.
British Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, in an interview with BBC Panorama, stated that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a "serious and profound shift" in attitudes toward attendance. She believes that the lockdowns have cast a "long shadow" over the life opportunities of the youngest children, requiring comprehensive strategies to mitigate the impact.
The latest persistent absence statistics show that 15% of primary school children in England have missed at least one-tenth of the school year, compared to about 8% before the pandemic. Simultaneously, the gap between the most disadvantaged students and other students had narrowed significantly after years of effort before the outbreak, but the report shows that the situation is deteriorating, demanding immediate attention and resources.
Natalie Perera of the EPI stated that this is the first time a "very clear link" has been established between the school attendance of children from the lowest-income families and the extent to which they are falling behind other students. Her team specifically studied children who have received free school meals for the past six years, meaning that the family's after-tax income is less than £7,400 per year, excluding benefits. Ms. Perera said that more research is needed to understand why these children have difficulty attending school, with possible factors including poor housing conditions and mental health issues, necessitating a multi-faceted approach.
Professor Catherine Davies of the University of Leeds stated that some children missed the "basic skills" they needed to understand school and integrate into the wider group. Sarah Barraclough, a teaching assistant at Queens Road Primary School, received training in a national program to help four- and five-year-old children in England improve their language skills. She said that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was "huge," and if children do not learn to say and understand more words, they will become isolated. "You feel lonely and can't participate in games on the playground," she said, highlighting the importance of early intervention.
The government has set a goal of having 75% of children achieve a good level of development when they leave kindergarten by 2028, up from the current 68%. The Education Secretary told the BBC that the pandemic has profoundly changed people's attitudes toward attendance. She said it is important for the youngest students to get "the support they need to thrive," emphasizing the need for tailored support programs and increased funding.
