Curriculum adapted to support Covid-19 recovery as schools return

Changes include narrowing the curriculum to prioritise literacy and numeracy over arts and languages, as well as focusing on core content within subjects.

Some schools have adopted a blended approach, incorporating numeracy and literacy through other subjects, while others are giving pupils more time to cover content.

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The findings have emerged in a National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report, which has been funded by the Nuffield Foundation.

The curriculum changes have been carried out by “most schools”, says the NFER.

This also found that pupils moving up into primary and secondary schools as well as further education are at particular at risk of falling behind. The study shows that pupils are less emotionally and academically prepared to make this transition. This has been “exacerbated by disruption to normal transition events”, the report found.

The report adds that “most school leaders reported more wellbeing and mental health problems than usual, especially increased anxiety, as a result of the pandemic”.

The risk of “severe mental health issues, including self-harm” among pupils has been raised by a “substantial minority” of school leaders.

“More primary pupils than usual were reported to be struggling with social skills, confidence and self-esteem. There were also concerns about a deterioration in their skills for learning, such as concentration, memory and stamina,” adds the report.

A plan around digital access for pupils and stronger focus on policy around vulnerable children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities is also being called for.

In addition, the NFER wants bodies such as Ofsted to have a greater recognition of the impact of the pandemic on pupils.

The government is also being called on to ensure there is “adequate, sustained funding” to help schools support pupils’ recovery and to catch up.

The government has pledged £1.4bn funding for school catch-up progammes, despite former education catch-up tsar Kevan Collins recommending that £15bn funding is needed to help pupils recover from lost learning amid the pandemic. Collins resigned shortly after the government’s funding announcement.

NFER research director Caroline Sharp wants to see more research into the impact of the curriculum changes.

“Schools are doing all they can to support their pupils, whose education and welfare has been so severely disrupted by Covid-19,” she said.

“Most are modifying the curriculum to help pupils recover missed learning, and simultaneously make progress. More research is needed to understand the implications of the various curriculum modification models identified in this research.”

Meanwhile, the government is to expand its National Tutoring Programme to help pupils catch up. It is hoping to reach six million pupils over the next three years.

This includes an additional £102m in funding to support 16-19 year olds.