On March 18, 2020 it was announced that, just two days’ later, schools would close to the majority of pupils. It marked the start of the biggest disruption in education since World War 2.

What followed were 12 of the strangest, toughest, most confusing and often surreal months that teachers, pupils and parents had ever known, with remote teaching and online video meetings, social distancing, masks in the classroom, no exams taking place and U-turns aplenty. 

It’s been a year since it all began, so we have put together a special issue of the magazine, reflecting on what teachers have gone through over this period and looking at how it may shape education into the future.

It explores how leaders have coped over the past 12 months, if the end of exams is nigh, how colleges adapted to lockdown, how trainee teachers have managed, and lots more besides. And we’ve made it available for all to access online for free.

So get comfy and delve into the Tes pandemic special issue.