The research studies

In June 2020, as part of the 'National Strategy for Educational Research and Enquiry', the Welsh Government awarded grants to the 8 universities in Wales to undertake collaborative research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the following aspects of the education system in Wales:

• the use of blended and distance learning
• the progress of learners
• the progress of learners being taught the Welsh language
• the assessment of learners
• how schools had engaged parents/carers in their children’s learning
• the health and wellbeing of learners and teachers

The universities were encouraged to work closely with the schools that were part of their established partnerships for providing initial teacher education (ITE) and to include in their findings the implications resulting from the pandemic for future ITE provision.

Methodology

While the methodologies used by the research team varied to some extent between the studies, they usually involved:

• a review of existing evidence for the topic
• interviews and focus groups held with teachers, support staff, school leaders and parents/carers
• interview and focus groups with students and academic staff involved in ITE

In the main, the researchers collected their evidence in the spring, summer and autumn of 2020.

Strengths and potential limitations

In total, the research studies represent a significant body of empirical evidence on the impact of the pandemic on the Welsh education system. In the main, their findings reinforce other evidence in this area that is specific to Wales.

While not diminishing the value of the findings produced by these studies, the following factors should be considered in interpreting the findings.

1. It is widely acknowledged that the impact of the pandemic on the education system varied to an extent between and even within schools.
2. Because of the pressures being faced by schools during this period, the researchers often faced difficulties in gathering their evidence. While across the 6 studies, in-depth evidence has been collected from a reasonably representative sample of schools, together they represent a minority of Welsh schools and no overall representative sampling was undertaken.

Main findings

Learning and progression

1. Moving rapidly to blended and distance learning led to both opportunities and challenges. The use of digital learning was progressed in line with the intentions underpinning the new school curriculum for Wales. Difficulties were experienced by many learners and families in relation to access to appropriate hardware and internet connectivity.
2. The learning and progress of all children was challenged by the situation they faced, but some continued to thrive while others (particularly those who were the most vulnerable, including those from more disadvantaged backgrounds) struggled.
3. Where learners thrived, it was often because they were confident in undertaking independent learning and because of the support they received from their parents/carers/families.
4. Where learners struggled, it was because they missed the support of their teachers and were not able to receive a high level of parental/family support.
5. All learners missed their contact with teachers, the specialist resources available in schools and social/learning interaction with their peers.
6. Many learners struggled to maintain and progress their Welsh language skills, although where appropriate support was provided when they returned to school many soon regained their competencies.
7. This illustrates a wider finding that identifies the resilience of many learners and the speed at which they can regain their learning competencies if provided with good support.
8. The lack of progress experienced by many vulnerable and disadvantaged learners was not a new phenomenon, but it was exacerbated during this period and made more evident.

School – family communication and engagement

9. Although varying in extent and quality, increased collaboration developed between schools and the homes of learners during the pandemic, including the engagement of parents/carers in supporting children’s learning.
10. Two of the areas where variability was highlighted were support for the use of Welsh and the experience of vulnerable and disadvantaged learners.
11. The impact of school–home collaboration was at its greatest where parental engagement with schools was already well established.

Health and wellbeing

12. The mental health and wellbeing of all learners was to some extent adversely affected by the impact of the pandemic and this was particularly so for the most vulnerable learners.
13. Teachers, schools and local authorities provided exceptional support to learners and their families to mitigate these impacts, although there was variability in the extent and quality of this provision.
14. The significantly increased workload this placed upon school leaders and teachers had an inimical impact on their health and wellbeing.
15. The importance of outdoor learning in the curriculum was highlighted.

Initial teacher education (ITE) and professional learning

16. The need for increased professional learning for teachers in areas such as blended and distance learning and parental engagement grew substantially because of the pandemic; the provision offered to meet this need was inconsistent and variable in quality.
17. ITE programmes had to adapt rapidly so that student teachers’ knowledge and skills in areas such as blended and distance learning, health and wellbeing and parental engagement could be enhanced.

Recommendations

18. The new school curriculum should reflect the importance of the following areas which have been highlighted by the impact of the pandemic:

• blended and distance learning
• independent learning
• the family and community dimension of health and wellbeing

19. The home environment for learning should have increased importance within the Welsh education system, focusing on home–school communication, parental engagement in children’s learning and increasing the availability of hardware and internet connectivity to support blended and distance learning.
20. The focus on the home learning environment should be particularly strengthened for bilingual and more vulnerable learners.
21. Increased emphasis should be placed in professional learning for teachers on blended and distance learning and parental engagement.
22. The treatment of blended and distance learning, health and wellbeing, the home learning environment and the situation of vulnerable and disadvantaged learners should be enhanced within the ITE curriculum.
23. The Welsh education system should undertake futures planning to ensure that it is appropriately prepared to meet any similar disruption to that which has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
24. Responses to the above recommendations should consider the specific needs of the bilingual aspects of the Welsh education system.