The term “learning loss” – referring to what pupils are judged to have failed to learn as a result of the pandemic lockdowns – has been used widely in the media as well as in government documents.
However, labelling a generation of school pupils as having suffered “learning loss” is likely to affect their self-esteem and self-belief. They will leave the education system thinking they are not good enough and that they are, somehow, academically damaged. In the light of their pandemic experiences, it seems inappropriate to stigmatise them for their futures.
What’s more, our research shows that the pandemic was a period of learning for all involved in education. It was certainly not a period where learning did not take place. With this in mind, I would suggest that “learning loss” should be known as “curricular loss”, to emphasise that what pupils may have missed out on is specific learning set in the school curriculum.
