Learning loss for disadvantaged pupils ‘greater’ than peers, says watchdog

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Pupils’ learning loss is generally reducing following school shutdowns due to Covid-19, the NAO said, but disadvantaged pupils in England “remain further behind” the expected level of achievement than their peers. I am troubled that disadvantaged children continue to have furthest to go to make up lost learning Dame Meg Hillier, Public Accounts Committee chair The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils has grown since 2019 despite the Government’s efforts to help children catch up with lost learning, according to the report into education recovery in schools. “It is vital that the department maintains its focus on education recovery in the coming years to help all children to catch up and to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged and other pupils.” The NAO is calling on the DfE to use research and evidence to assess education recovery in schools, including whether children have recovered lost learning and whether progress is being made to close the disadvantage gap. DfE has an ongoing duty to the children who missed out on education and continue to pay the price.” Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Schools have been working incredibly hard to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on pupils, but government support has been piecemeal and insufficient and its own recovery tsar resigned when ministers failed to back his plans with the funding needed.” Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “It was disadvantaged children that were hardest hit by the pandemic, and government support for their educational recovery has been inadequate.