Education in Recovery: The Hidden Costs of Pandemic Learning

It does not take 5 years of hindsight to know that the COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecidented shift in education. From March 2020 when teachers across the UK were forced to adapt overnight to online learning, social distancing and new pressures, there was no doubt the effects would be paramount.

Now with schools long since reopened, the effects of that disruption still linger in the classroom. While both primary and secondary education suffered substantial disruption, their experiences were not uniform. How have these two sectors adapted in the years since? Two teachers, one from a secondary school and another from a primary, despite requesting anonymity, spoke candidly with me about the long-term changes they have witnessed.

Struggles of Remote Learning
Remote learning, perhaps the most defining feature of pandemic-era education, has remained a subject of scrutiny when discussing student education. One study found that 49% of students felt lockdown learning allowed them to develop new skills and knowledge. Yet, the experience of teachers paints a far less optimistic picture.

Secondary educators described how the transition to online learning presented major challenges to educational engagement. “I had to promote more independent learning,” one teacher explained. “But it was difficult to monitor attendance. Students could simply turn their cameras off or blame internet outages.” The pandemic widened educational gaps, with many students returning to school behind in their studies. “I noticed knowledge gaps that wouldn’t have been there otherwise,” the teacher admitted.

In primary schools, the shift was even more drastic. “We made learning videos, hand-delivered resources, and eventually set up Google Classroom. But in the first lockdown, we were totally unprepared,” a primary school teacher recalled. The youngest pupils, in particular, struggled with engagement. “Year 2 children were the only year group in our school not allowed back, so their transition to junior school was incredibly difficult.” Demonstrating the disparity between these statistics and reality- as those working closest to young people see the troubling effects of online disengagement first hand.

Technology: A Double-Edged Sword?
It would be unfair to say the digital-divide was totally bleak. Both teachers acknowledged that the pandemic forced schools to embrace technology in ways they hadn’t before. “Students are much better with technology now,” the secondary school teacher noted. “Schools provided laptops and internet data to families in need, helping to bridge the digital gap”. Schools were not alone in efforts to close the digital divide, with government schemes providing 250,000 free laptops to disadvantaged students, ensuring access to online learning.

However, this shift came with its own set of problems. “During lockdown, we only taught about 50% of lessons live online,” the secondary teacher revealed. “Students struggled to focus for a full school day when they returned.” The loss of structure and face-to-face interaction had a lasting impact, making the transition back to traditional learning particularly difficult.

Wellbeing and Mental Health: A System Under Strain
Discussions surrounding pandemic-era education have largely focused on students. Less attention, however, has been paid to the wellbeing of teachers, many of whom endured significant stress and isolation. “It was hugely stressful working from home,” said the secondary teacher, who had young children at home. “I ended up driving to my empty classroom just to regain a sense of routine. My mental health suffered.”

For primary school staff, the strain was equally severe. “It became all-consuming,” the teacher admitted. “My own family had to fend for themselves” But the primary teacher noted that the emotional toll extended beyond staff, as students returned to school exhausted, anxious, and deeply affected by the pandemic. “Children tired easily, worried about getting ill, and some even feared dying,” the primary teacher shared. “Some pupils, especially those with special educational needs, struggled so much that they refused to return to school at all”, revealing the disproportionate effects COVID-19 had on some of the most vulnerable of students.

The Lasting Impact on Education
Five years on from the first lockdown, schools may have resumed normal operations, but the legacy of the pandemic remains. The visible markers of COVID-19, from social distancing to protective screens and masks, may have faded, but the unspoken educational changes persist in subtle yet significant ways.

“The pandemic improved ICT skills for both students and staff, and we’re now able to assess students online,” the secondary teacher noted. The primary school teacher added that parents became more involved in their child’s learning, one of the few positive legacies of the crisis.

But whilst the positivity is important to note, the glaring weaknesses in the system still remain. Mental health support remains inedequate, as a primary school teacher reflected: “Some colleagues who lived alone became incredibly isolated, Meanwhile, SEND students, already at a disadvantage, saw their support networks collapse during lockdown”. “Some of our SEND children never came back,” the secondary teacher admitted.

Both teachers agreed that policymakers must learn from these lessons. “Schools should have a clear remote learning policy in case this ever happens again, and teachers should be consulted,” the secondary teacher insisted. The primary teacher wished for earlier adoption of Google Classroom and called for priority vaccination of school staff during future health crises.

The pandemic exposed deep flaws in the UK’s education system, from the digital divide to the fragile state of mental health support. If those lessons aren’t acted upon, schools may find themselves just as unprepared when the next crisis hits.

Words by Poppy Grainger

Cover Image Credit: Educators.co.uk via Flickr