Office for National Statistics cite internet access and less communication with teachers as factors
The youngest primary school pupils and those in the most deprived areas suffered the greatest loss of learning during the pandemic lockdowns that closed schools to most pupils in England, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The ONS analysis found that schools with the highest proportion of children eligible for free school meals (FSM) faced the biggest struggles in teaching remotely during the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, which the agency attributed to lower levels of pupil engagement and communication with teachers, lack of internet access and “social problems” associated with deprivation.
