Startling recent statistics have unveiled a concerning reality: over 80% of primary school teachers believe that children's attention spans have decreased since the onset of the pandemic. These findings emerged from a survey conducted by Kapow Primary, which involved 504 primary and early years teachers from schools across England, shedding light on several disquieting trends.
According to a report by Mirror Online, the poll revealed that an overwhelming 84% of teachers agreed that primary school children now possess a "shorter than ever" attention span in the post-Covid era. Furthermore, approximately 69% of respondents reported observing an increase in daydreaming and a decline in students’ ability to concentrate since their return to the physical classroom.
In addition to the findings, recent reports also indicate that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on disadvantaged pupils, leading to what is being referred to as a "lost decade" for their educational progress. The Commons Public Accounts Committee warns that it may take up to ten years for the disparity in achievement between economically disadvantaged children and their more affluent peers to return to pre-Covid levels.
According to the committee, the efforts made since 2012 to narrow the educational attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their wealthier counterparts have been reversed by 2022, as evidenced by Key Stage test results. This setback has had profound implications for the educational trajectory of disadvantaged students.
Chairwoman Dame Meg Hillier, in publishing the committee's most recent report, expressed grave concerns over the long-term implications of the pandemic on children's education, emphasized the urgent need for decisive measures, stating that without swift action, the ongoing impact of the pandemic on education could result in far-reaching consequences that will affect an entire generation.
