School absences increased massively during the COVID-19 pandemic and remain high internationally. We investigate whether policy variation in restrictions influenced pupil absence during the pandemic and how this affected post-pandemic attendance and academic achievement. Variation in restrictions during autumn 2020 that restricted social contact…

This paper reports on the findings of a BERA-funded small-scale project that explores the impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns on the educational experiences of autistic children and young people who attend mainstream schools and their parents/carers in England. We observe that, unsurprisingly, lockdown resulted in associated stresses for families.…

This paper investigates lost education time during the COVID-19 pandemic in England. We look at the general factors affecting rates of absence during different stages of the pandemic and the consequences of specific policy guidance. Our evidence shows that pupil absence was strongly linked to socioeconomic factors, with pupils in schools in more…

Children have a right to play, as outlined by the United Nations, due to its important role in holistic development. However, as with many other human rights, children's access to their right to play was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. With several studies demonstrating the ways in which children's play changed…

The return to school following the significant disruption to education during the COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges for students, teachers, and parents. In the English context, education leaders have expressed serious concerns about the significantly increased levels of anxiety and school absenteeism among students of all ages, particularly…

This paper uses qualitative data from a survey of Higher Education students, who are also parents, to reveal changing attitudes towards, and perceptions of, education during the pandemic school closures in England. Thematic analysis reveals the stresses of 'homeschooling' and how parents reacted and adapted to these, including adjusting ideas…

Contextual approaches to high quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) seek to capture the complexity of children's lives, developing pedagogical approaches that are responsive to children's needs and interests. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic provided a complex layer to the question of what constitutes quality ECEC. A mixed methods…

A high level of school absence has persisted across many countries since the COVID-19 pandemic. We use English data to investigate whether a student's absence during the pandemic had a causal impact on school attendance and academic progress in future years, using variation in local regulations during the pandemic (not aimed at schools). We find…

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in school closures worldwide and unexcused absences have increased since schools reopened. Aims: Drawing on multiple stakeholders' perspectives, we aimed to (i) develop a detailed understanding of how school attendance problems (SAPs) have manifested for primary school-aged children in the context of…

This briefing reports on the findings of qualitative research, funded by the British Educational Research Association (BERA) conducted in late 2020 with 17 parents of autistic children and young people (CYP) attending mainstream schools in England, as well as six autistic CYP themselves. The aim of the research was to generate insight into these…

Not all parents across England are happy about sending their children back to school, following the lifting of lockdown measures in March 2021. Our qualitative research, listening to accounts from eighty-five such families, finds that these concerns stem from COVID-related anxiety, most commonly linked to protecting members of the household at…

A child's early years play a significant role in determining their chances later on in life, including their chances of social mobility. But the poorest children are already 11 months behind their peers when they start at primary school, with efforts to close the gap stalling, and evidence that the gap has started to widen once again in recent…

Background: Families of children with developmental delays (DD) prior to the COVID-19 pandemic experienced inequalities in accessing health and social care services. Measures put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus have potentially exacerbated existing inequalities and have led to additional pressures for these families. Methods: We…

On May 10th, 2020 the Prime Minister announced a phased return of some children to school in England from June 1st. Schools have been closed to all but vulnerable and keyworker children since March 20th, meaning that most children have been educated at home for a period of 10 weeks, and some year groups are not expected to return to school until…

Schools across the UK were mostly closed from March to July 2020 due to COVID-19. Therefore, parents and children found themselves thrust into a prolonged period of home-schooling. In this study, parents (N = 2,122) reported on their children's (N = 3,230) home-schooling experiences and its impacts on their children's academic progress. Parental…