Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT,
said: “The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted pupils in very
different ways, with some much more able to continue their
learning than others. It is, of course, the pupils who we were
most concerned about before the pandemic who have faced the
greatest challenges during lockdown.
“The government could have ameliorated some of this by acting
faster to ensure all children have equal access to technology and
connectivity in order to continue learning remotely. Almost a
full year into this crisis there should be no children left
without access to a laptop and the internet.
“However, we should remember that the ‘disadvantage gap’ existed
long before the pandemic. Lockdown has brought the gap into
focus, and may well have widened it for some young people, but it
did not create it. And unfortunately we can’t assume that a
return to ‘normal’ will cause the gap to close. The fundamental
issues creating disadvantage must be addressed by government once
we emerge from this if we are to make a real difference in the
future.
“Schools were already struggling to provide everything children
need before this crisis, damaged as they and other social
services have been by a decade of austerity. If schools are to
play their part in healing the scars left by covid-19, be that
educational, developmental or emotional, they and other key
support services must be given the additional support, funding
and resources they need to do so.”
