Worries for 'unseen' children left behind in Surrey and Hampshire schools
Ofsted has released its annual report
Over 90% of Surrey and Hampshire primary and secondary schools are rated as good or outstanding this year, despite the disruption of the pandemic.
The education watchdog has published its annual report today showing schools in the two counties rate among the highest-performing in the South East.
In Surrey, 95% of secondary schools are good or oustanding while in Hampshire the figure is 91%.
For primary schools, 94% are good or outstanding in Surrey and in Hampshire it is 93%.
Year 6 pupils are exceeding the average attainment of 66% when it comes to Reading, Writing and Maths.
In Surrey it is 70% and in Hampshire 68%
Secondary students, meanwhile, are above the national average in their grades in Surrey - however in Hampshire the average score is slightly below the national average.
There is concern, however, about the children who have been impacted seriously by the pandemic and the affect on their education.
Stephen Long, Ofsted's Director for the South East, said:
"It has been an extraordinarily challenging year. Today's Annual Report highlights the incredible work those working in education and care are doing to teach, help and support children.
"But it also highlights the worrying impact of COVID.
"Across all age groups, children with special education needs and disabilities have been seriously affected in both their care and education, as the services that families relied on - particularly speech and language services - were unavailable. We have had reports that the lack of respite and support for families of children with highly complex needs has put a huge strain on families' ability to cope."
Findings from Ofsted's autumn visits
In their first report Ofsted looked at the impact of COVID-19 on schools and children's homes during their September visits.
They found that:
- Leaders had struggled at times to keep up with the guidance from government, but schools were able to apply that guidance in their own context.
- Over a third of schools visited noted more parents opting to home educate their children due to anxiety about safety fuelled by 'fake news' on social media. Leaders also reported their frustrations at having to correct the myths that had taken hold with some parents.
- Remote learning presents considerable challenges, such as lack of access - to technology, to broadband or to peace, quiet and space in the home.
- Children with SEND who do not communicate verbally had seen their communication skills regress while their social contact was more limited.
- Children's homes that were already struggling were put under more strain as a result of COVID-19, and had reported difficulties liaising with partner agencies or accessing specialist services.
In the second report Ofsted looked at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across all sectors they inspect and regulate, finding that:
- Children's and learners' experiences since the first national lockdown fall into 3 broad groups: Those who have been, and still are, coping well; those who have been hardest hit, because of the interplay between their circumstances and the impact of the pandemic; and the majority - a group which has slipped back in their learning to varying degrees since schools were closed to most children.
- Some young children, who were previously potty-trained, have lapsed back into nappies, particularly those whose parents were unable to work flexibly.
- Older children have lost stamina in reading and writing, some have lost physical fitness, others show signs of mental distress, including an increase in eating disorders and self-harm.
- Home learning experience is still patchy and, in many cases, not aligned with the classroom curriculum.
- Concerns remain about children who were out of sight during school closures, with falling referrals to social care teams raising fears that domestic neglect, exploitation or abuse is going undetected.
- Across all age groups, children with SEND have been seriously affected in both their care and education, as the services that families relied on - particularly speech and language services - were unavailable.
Stephen continued:
"Undoubtedly, teachers have been working incredibly hard to help children catch up on the learning they have lost. But the education gap has worryingly got wider since schools were closed in March.
"Most worryingly, I am concerned about children who are out of sight. We are seeing a rise in home education, with many children not returning to education since March, from our youngest children right through to post 16.
"While home schooling can be a positive decision for some families, not all can offer high quality education, and it can also make it harder to detect signs of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
"The pandemic has created huge strains and challenges, but it has also brought communities closer together. So, I want to thank all those who are working to support, care and teach our children and young people in these very difficult times."