Education Policy Institute (@EduPolicyInst): Highly desirable for all children to return to school before easter, but policy must meet two key tests Commenting before the Prime Minister's announcement on schools reopening on Monday, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has said that it would be "highly desirable for all children to be back in school before Easter", but that this should be based on two key tests.

@EduPolicyIns - Education catch-up plans of all four UK governments fail to offer pupils the support they need  New EPI analysis compares the plans of the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments to help pupils catch up with learning following the pandemic. The UK government’s catch-up programme for Scotland is the most generous after their announcement this week Scotland's total funding for education catch up from £80m to £140m, and on a per pupil basis from £114 to £200 England is next at £174 per pupil (totalling £1.2bn for schools, £96m for colleges). This is followed by £88 per pupil in Wales (£40m), and £82 per pupil in Northern Ireland (£28m). However, catch-up plans in Wales and Northern Ireland are far better targeted, with a greater share of funding aimed at disadvantaged pupils – whose learning has been hardest hit by the disruption to schools. Around half of Welsh and Northern Irish catch-up funding has been targeted towards poorer pupils, compared to 30% in England and 20% in Scotland. Scotland’s plan spans the longest period, covering this academic year and next. The UK government has committed some extra funding for next year for England, while current Welsh and Northern Irish plans end this summer. All nations have failed to provide adequate guidance on supporting vulnerable pupils who have special educational needs (SEND) with remote learning. EPI researchers conclude that all current catch-up plans are insufficient – UK governments should put in place multi-year education programmes which address the scale of learning loss. A new report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI), funded by the Nuffield Foundation, finds that the education catch-up plans of all four UK nations offer insufficient support for pupils, and are unlikely to address the scale of learning loss following the pandemic.

Education Policy Institute (@EduPolicyInst): Government must act to reduce significant risks around exam grading in 2021 The Education Policy Institute has today (Friday 29th January) published its response to the Department for Education and Ofqual consultation on exam grading in summer 2021. 

New study by @EduPolicyInst and @PrincesTrust on the mental health of Generation Z shows a sharp drop in girls’ wellbeing during adolescence By the end of primary school, Generation Z girls have similar levels of wellbeing and self-esteem as boys but then experience a sudden decline in both by age 14. Girls’ wellbeing falls even lower towards the end of their teenage years, while their depressive symptoms increase significantly. As many as one in three girls report that they are unhappy with their personal appearance by age 14. The pandemic has led to a deterioration in mental health, with the number of young people with a probable mental illness rising to 1 in 6, up from 1 in 9. There is a social gradient in poor mental and emotional health, with young people from the lowest income families more likely to have the worst outcomes. Heavy social media use is shown to negatively affect wellbeing and self-esteem in adolescence, regardless of young people’s existing state of mental health. Being bullied in childhood is shown to adversely affect both boys’ and girls’ mental and emotional health well into their teenage years. Frequent physical exercise plays a particularly positive role in young people’s wellbeing – yet participation in activities and sports is expected to have fallen considerably due to school closures and lockdowns. The Education Policy Institute (EPI) and youth charity The Prince’s Trust have today (Wednesday 27th January) published a major study on the mental health and wellbeing of young people in Generation Z.

New analysis @EduPolicyInst: Teacher COVID absences were six times higher than pupils in primary schools, three times higher in secondary schools  The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has published new analysis of school absences among teachers and pupils due to testing positive for COVID during the autumn term.