A major study has found Scottish schools are still “several years” away from recovering from the impact of the pandemic, with pupils less focussed and more stressed than before Covid-19.
The findings are detailed in the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s (SQA) evaluation of courses run in 2023, which gathered the views of almost 5,000 learners, teachers, lecturers and senior examiners.
It revealed 71 per cent of teachers believed the fall-out from the pandemic still had a “substantial impact on teaching and learning” in 2022/23, with only 18 per cent disagreeing.
The same proportion, 71 per cent, disagreed or strongly disagreed that the education system had “recovered well”.
Schools were closed for extended periods during the coronavirus lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, with the disruption now being linked to falling attendance rates, rising levels of anxiety and poor behaviour, as well as development delays.
A huge 94 per cent of teachers surveyed by SQA strongly agreed or agreed that many learners are now less resilient, while 76 per cent said pupils find external assessment more stressful than pre-pandemic cohorts.
Meanwhile, 90 per cent agreed that many students have lower levels of focus in class.
Simon Allan, head of research and evaluation at SQA, said: “There are some signs of recovery but it is becoming increasingly apparent that the impact of the pandemic is both complex and substantial, and it seems very, very likely to us, from this point, that it will take several years for that to fully resolve.”
Many teachers highlighted poorer attendance levels, with one saying: "Post-pandemic, pupils seem to think school is a choice rather than mandatory, which is impacting their progress in senior phase.”
Recently-published statistics showed half of secondary pupils in parts of Scotland are now persistently absent.
