The Covid squeeze on pupil outcomes 鈥渉as started to wane鈥, but the disadvantage gap continues to be 鈥渟ubstantial鈥 as schools deal with the long-term impact of the pandemic. The findings came in a National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report for the , examining the effects of the virus outbreak. Pepe DiIasio Reacting to the study, Association of School and College Leaders general secretary Pepe Di鈥橧asio called for a 鈥渞enewed focus on low-attaining pupils and closing the disadvantage gap鈥. 鈥淚t鈥檚 vital that schools have the resources they need to support disadvantaged pupils, who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.鈥 The researchers followed a group of children now in years 4 and 5, who were 鈥渁t the very start of primary school鈥 during lockdown in 2020, across 59 schools. Here’s what you need to know鈥 1. Covid impact 鈥榳aning鈥 In reading and maths, both cohorts witnessed their Covid gaps 鈥 the differences between pre- and post-pandemic scores 鈥 鈥渟ignificantly鈥 reduce since 2021. The report said the 鈥渘egative impact of school closures seen in the immediate years鈥 following the virus outbreak 鈥渉as started to wane鈥. For year 4 maths and year 5 reading, 鈥渢here was no significant difference in pupils鈥 performance compared with鈥 pre-Covid levels in 2017. Meanwhile, children were at least two months ahead of expectations seven years ago in year 4 reading and year 5 maths. The NFER believes this suggests the 鈥渟trategies, which schools have been putting in place to support recovery, are reducing the impact of the disruption to pupils鈥 learning鈥. 2. 鈥楽ubstantial鈥 disadvantage gap remains The gap between results for poorer children and their more affluent classmates has narrrowed since 2021. However, a 鈥渟ubstantial disadvantage gap remains鈥, the researchers said. 鈥淲e observed a reduction in the disadvantage gap in year 4 reading and鈥 mathematics since we first measured it in spring 2021, but we did not see this reduction with the year 5 cohort.鈥 Overall, the disadvantage gaps are wider than those reported pre-pandemic. This shows 鈥渃ontinued targeted approaches are needed鈥 to address the issue. 3. Concerns for low attainers The proportion of year 5 children deemed the 鈥渧ery lowest attainers鈥 for scoring fewer marks than required to be given a standardised score in NFER reading tests is double the numbers seen in 2017. Researchers also witnessed an increase in the percentage of pupils considered 鈥渦nable to access the curriculum鈥, meaning they did not take the relevant 2023-24 assessments. 鈥淥verall, 5.7 per cent of year 5 and 3.6 per cent of year 4 pupils were indicated as such, which is far higher than the national percentage (around 1 per cent) indicated on Department for Education key stage 2 attainment reports.鈥 The report noted the NFER assessments are optional and, as many of these pupils achieved low scores in 2022-23, it鈥檚 feasible 鈥渢heir schools decided not to ask鈥 [them] to undertake the tests in 2023-24鈥. 鈥淭his may be masking a tail of low attainment not observed this year, but [that is] potentially still an issue.鈥 4. Long-term Covid impact Among the most common challenges reported by schools were absences and 鈥渄ifficulties obtaining external support鈥 for children. Seventy-five per cent also saw 鈥渋ncreased workload due to pupils鈥 behaviour or wellbeing needs鈥. Small group sessions were most often used by the schools to aid catch-up work (82 per cent). Meanwhile, the proportion using one-to-one support fell by up to 25 percentage points between 2023 and 2024. Almost all the schools involved in the study 鈥渨ere prioritising additional support for very low-attaining pupils, and two-thirds (fewer than last year) were doing so for disadvantaged pupils鈥. 5. 鈥楪ive schools resources they need鈥 Just over 40 per cent of the schools had accessed the National Tutoring Programme to aid learning recovery across both year groups (37 per cent for maths and 31 per cent for reading). A smaller proportion provided tutoring not funded through the NTP (12 per cent for mathematics and 14 per cent for reading). The programme, launched during the pandemic, came to its planned end in August. The NFER said its study 鈥渉ighlights the importance of policymakers ensuring schools have the appropriate resources to identify not only learning recovery needs, but the wider support pupils need鈥. 鈥淭ackling these challenges to pupils鈥 learning, engagement, and wellbeing may require a new approach, away from 鈥榣earning recovery鈥 directly to a more holistic approach within and beyond the school community.鈥