Commenting on Ofsted’s annual Parents Survey for 2021, in which a
large majority of parents (87%) think that their child’s school
has handled the pandemic well, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of
the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“Ofsted’s survey findings are a glowing testimony to the
incredible hard work and commitment of our schools and colleges
during what has been the most difficult year for education in
living memory.
“The pandemic has been hard for everyone in every walk of life
but school and college leaders and their staff have led by
example, rising to challenge after challenge to ensure our young
people get the education they need, whatever the circumstances.
“When schools and colleges have been closed to most children they
have quickly adapted their teaching to work in a virtual world
and, when their students have returned, they have quickly
mastered techniques completely unfamiliar to them, such as
lateral flow testing.
“We also pay tribute to parents for their resilience and
flexibility in adapting to a rapidly changing scenario, playing a
vital role by educating their children at home and juggling that
not inconsiderable task with their own work commitments.
“We should acknowledge that there are some worrying concerns
raised in the survey about the mental and physical health of
children having been negatively impacted by the pandemic, but
schools and colleges will not be unfamiliar with these issues and
will have already put measures in place to identify and respond
to the challenges they raise.
“What is now vitally important as we prepare for life
post-pandemic is for government to fully recognise the challenges
ahead and put meaningful funding behind its education recovery
programme.”
