The decision to delay returning children to school is a national disaster, more than 100 specialists in psychology, mental health and neuroscience have said.
In a letter to the education secretary Gavin Williamson, published in today’s The Sunday Times, the experts say that children must be released from lockdown amid concerns about the widening attainment gap.
The letter says: “The recent decision by the government to delay returning children and adolescents to school is a national disaster. As experts working across disciplines, we urge the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, to reconsider.”
It adds: “Lockdown has had an incredibly harmful impact on learning, creating a huge attainment gap, and the most vulnerable are likely to be most affected. Children remaining out of school will create a generation with increased educational poverty. Other countries in Europe, such as Greece, Denmark and Cyprus, have returned children to school with no evidence of a second wave of the coronavirus.”
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Tes’ “Closing the Covid Gap” news series has highlighted teachers concerns about the attainment gap.
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In a Tes survey, nearly four-fifths of teachers and school support staff said that the attainment gap between poorer pupils and their peers was widening as a result of school closures - while just under a third believed it was becoming “a gulf”.
Research published by the Education Endowment Foundation research charity at the beginning of June said that school closures may have widened the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their classmates by up to 75 per cent.
Last week, education secretary Gavin Williamson said that primary schools would not be expected to welcome all pupils back before the summer break.
However, reports today signal that there may be a government U-turn on this decision. Ministers are reportedly expected to announce that school leaders can welcome back all primary pupils to school, as long as they have the necessary space and number of teachers needed to keep children in groups of less than 16.
The experts’ letter also warns that lockdown is exacerbating mental health issues.
The letter says: “The lockdown exacerbates feelings of entrapment, loneliness, hopelessness and anger, risk factors that can lead to thoughts of self-harm. Mental health problems also contribute to self-destructive thoughts and, since lockdown, surveys from Oxford University show an increase of these issues in young people. Suicide is already the leading cause of death in those aged 5-19 in England.
“Thankfully, Covid will never claim this many young lives. The lockdown has created an environment where children cannot play with their friends. Children learn through play, which is vital for their wellbeing. It is crucial that social distancing measures are minimised, or removed as far as possible, to enable in-person play.”
The letter says that the government “must change social distancing advice so that summer play schemes, and other education providers in areas such as sport and music, are able to open; and in a way that does not infringe human rights - which the current rules appear to do.”
