CYP Now - Disadvantaged pupils suffer 'clear learning loss penalty' during pandemic

Children from poorer backgrounds faced a "clear penalty" during the pandemic, falling further behind their more affluent peers in terms of learning, a study has found.

The disadvantage gap could widen further, researchers have warned. Picture: Adobe Stock

Research conducted by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) on behalf of the Department for Education found that by the first half of the autumn term, in October 2020, average learning losses for disadvantaged pupils - those receiving free school meals - were 4.3 months in maths for pupils in primary school and two months in reading for pupils in primary school.

This compares with average learning losses across all primary pupils at that point of 3.7 months in maths and 1.8 months in reading.

Then, by the second half of the autumn term, in December 2020, average learning losses for disadvantaged pupils recovered to 3.3 months in maths for pupils in primary school and 1.6 in reading. Learning losses for all pupils averaged 2.7 months in maths for pupils in primary school and 1.2 months in reading.

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