5 ways the national lockdown has increased educational inequality in the UK
It’s fair to say that everyone has been negatively impacted by the coronavirus in some way or another. Arguably, the recipients of some of the most long lasting effects of the pandemic are students. Whether it’s losing out on teaching time at university, not being able to do exams at A-level, or missing out on that social interaction that is so crucial to young children. Not only has this had irreversible impacts, but the COVID-19 outbreak has exposed, and widened, the educational inequality gap in the UK.
At The Black Curriculum, we want to empower students with education. Like many other social enterprises, we had to adapt rapidly to providing education digitally, where we would have formerly been travelling to schools to deliver in-person sessions. We recognise that accessing education online is a privilege that not all of us can afford, and it’s important we all stay mindful of the myriad ways in which young people are affected by what is being called the digital divide. Click here to find out more about where you can donate old laptops and technology.
1) Lack of clarity around exams & results
Through countless U-turns, new lockdown restrictions and school closures, many students have been left questioning where they stand. After the third national lockdown was announced this month, several students awaited an update surrounding their upcoming exams. The Department of Education released their decision to cancel GCSE and A-Level exams, but chose to have vocational exams such as BTecs go ahead as planned. Naturally, this will disproportionately impact the ways in which these two groups of students will have to prepare for graded assessment, with one having to continue studying and attending exams during a pandemic, and the other not. While it is suggested that the decision to keep BTec exams was intended to ensure that skill-based qualifications which are needed for vocational careers are met, a significant number of BTec students may not intend to go into vocational work, rather, using their BTecs to apply to university. The government’s different approaches to GCSE/A-Level and Vocational education will have unequal impacts on the education experience of young people, but also their prospects for higher education and careers.
2) Lack of Access
The transition to online learning during lockdown was never meant to be easy. Teachers and educators worked incredibly hard to adapt to the ever-changing school closure announcements. However, the switch to virtual learning exacerbated inequalities significantly, as it exposed who had access to broadband, laptops, and Wi-Fi, and who didn’t. In 2020, Ofcom’s Technology Tracker found that up to 913,000 children could only access the internet using (costly) mobile data, with up to 559,000 children having no access to the internet at all.
Research from the Sutton Trust (2020) found that:
“In the most deprived schools, 15% of teachers report that more than a third of their students did not have adequate access to an electronic device for learning from home, compared to only 2% in the most affluent state schools...
...50% of teachers in private schools report they are receiving more than three quarters of work back, compared with 27% in the most advantaged state schools, and just 8% in the least advantaged state schools. 24% say that fewer than 1 in 4 children in their class are returning work they have been set.”
This has increased anxieties surrounding both physical access to tech, and also economic access to the data required for online learning. Such inequalities have been reflected in attendance, engagement and the quality of work received by teachers.
3) Decline in mental health
Lockdown has impacted the mental health of people from all parts of society. In a fast-paced world where mobility and social interaction are at the heart of most work and social relationships, lockdown meant the complete reconfiguring of how we maintain connections.
Whether it be on the playground, at an afterschool club or in the classroom, lockdown robbed young people of the opportunity to form and maintain crucial social relationships, a key process in their personal development. Growing anxieties surrounding the culture of social media and the fear of young people becoming addicted to their electronic devices was now accompanied by an added set of hours glued to a screen. For some, it was having too much access to tech which proved detrimental to their mental health. For others, it was the opposite, as having no access to tech meant that they were officially cut off from their school friends. Many young people relied on physical social interaction, which they were not able to fulfil virtually.
Another aspect of mental health which has been felt unequally has been access to outdoors spaces. With fresh air, greenery and exercise being common ways to boost energy and improve mental health, many relied on such moments to maintain their wellbeing during lockdown. Young people and school children were also amongst those going for their daily walks. However, access to green spaces too, is a luxury for some. For households with no access to gardens or local parks, the option to cool off and recharge outside at lunchtime was not afforded to them. Being stuck indoors, with either too much screen time or not enough virtual social contact, young people across the UK experienced lockdown differently, with varying impacts on their mental health, in turn disproportionately affecting their educational experience.
4) No appropriate place to study
Remote schooling meant that students have been left to set up their own learning environments at home. While some are able to take class from a desk in a quiet area of the house, others have had to share a crowded dining room table, or work from their beds. The environment which we are in is proven to impact our ability to comfortably and confidently learn. Many research studies have shown that comfort, space, and even lighting has a direct impact on both motivation and ability to learn. Disorganised or cluttered spaces can create stress and anxiety, having a negative effect on learning. Lockdown has certainly highlighted the ways in which not everyone has access to a suitable place or environment to do so.
5) Unhealthy environments
Alongside not having an appropriate physical learning environment, many students have had to contend with an uncertain educational future amidst an unhealthy or abusive home environment. Where children would usually be coming into contact with a range of adults every day such as teachers and neighbours, the lockdown has meant that there are not as many opportunities for those adults to spot the signs of abuse and get help. Isolations and lockdowns can potentially put young people at greater risk of domestic, physical and emotional abuse. Many of these children often look to school as a means of escape and comfort, and without the support network usually available, the nature of such households will undoubtedly impact students' learning and mental health. Visit the NSPCC website for more advice on how to keep children safe from abuse throughout COVID-19.
A note from The Black Curriculum
At The Black Curriculum, our hearts go out to every student struggling with home learning, coping with stressful home environments or worried about their future. We stand with parents, students and teachers alike, and can’t wait to be back in schools again, empowering young people across the UK with identity and belonging, one session at a time.
Co-written by Addie Tadesse and Eleshea Williams
