Primary school pupils ‘more than three months behind with reading after pandemic’

Nearly half of primary schools say youngest pupils are three to six months behind in new survey, Zoe Tidman reports

Most schools estimated pupils were months behind with their reading levels, a new survey finds (iStock)

Most schools have said that primary pupils are three or more months behind with reading after the pandemic, a new poll has found.

Forty-two per cent of schools estimated literacy levels for over half of students had been negatively impacted by the pandemic – which kept pupils at home during lockdowns and periods of self-isolation.

Out of the 178 who had assessed reading levels this academic year, 48 per cent said they thought Key Stage 1 pupils – five to seven years old – were up to six months behind in reading.

A further 23 per cent estimated it was six or more months, according to the poll of 200 primary schools by Schoolreaders, a charity whose volunteers listen to children read in school, and the University of Bedfordshire.

For older Key Stage 2 pupils, 40 per cent of respondents who had carried out assessments said they thought these children were three or six months behind in reading.

Thirteen per cent estimated these pupils – who are aged between seven and 11 – were even further behind with literacy, according to the poll of partner schools conducted between August and September.

Research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) previously found pupils were more than two months behind in reading and three months behind in maths when they returned to school in March following lockdown.

In research released this week, the EPI also said pupils were likely to miss out on £16,000 in earnings due to the impact of the pandemic.

Another survey found a quarter of parents in England believe their pupils will need a year or more to catch up on lost learning following the Covid pandemic.

The government has given schools extra funding and set up a tutoring scheme in a bid to help pupils catch up on learning.

The Department for Education said: “We have committed to an ambitious, long-term education recovery plan which will deliver world-class training for thousands of teachers and high-quality tutoring for millions of pupils.

“We are significantly expanding the National Tutoring Programme this year, building on the progress from last year when more than 300,000 children benefited, and giving schools more flexibility to deliver tutoring that works for them and their families.

“This investment in education recovery – of over £3bn to date – comes on top of the £14.4bn this government is investing in schools in total over the three years up to 2022-23, helping young people leave school better educated, better skilled and ready for the world of work.”