Research School Network: The New Normal – Reshaping Education?

The last three months has seen many changes to all our lives – at home, in school and at work. Our everyday vocabulary now includes phrases like unprecedented times, online learning, the disadvantage gap, the digital divide, impact of school closure, lost learning and so, so many more. We are continually reminded of the attainment gap and the impact on the emotional well being of children during this period of school closure. The current pandemic is not just reshaping education, but touching all aspects of our lives, including family dynamics and motivation.

On 20^th April Camilla Turner, EDUCATION EDITOR reported in the Telegraph that ​‘Two thirds of children have not taken part in online lessons during the coronavirus lockdown, and that pupils at private schools are more than twice as likely to receive daily online tuition than their state educated peers. (see COVID 19 Impacts: School Shutdown report from the Sutton Trust for more information). It is no surprise that this research confirms that children who have parents, who are more able to support and encourage learning, engage more effectively in online learning.

Here at Billesley Primary School, a school in an area of high deprivation with more than 50% pupil premium, attainment of our year 6 pupils has over recent years exceeded that of their better off contemporaries. It can not be a coincidence then that engagement in online learning amongst our pupils bucks the national trend, with on average 50% of pupils engaging.

The success of the school is underpinned by highly effective teaching and learning and high expectations. This has developed in pupils an eagerness and desire to learn. During OFSTED inspection May 2019 it was noted that ​‘All staff have the highest aspirations for every pupil. The ​‘no excuses’ culture means that staff strive for excellence for every pupil, whatever their need or background.’ and ​‘pupils who are keen to come to school’ Pupils are motivated by the intrinsic value of learning. Excellent learning behaviours are embedded across school. The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) development across school has been an integral part of this success. In her SEL Webinar Laura Butler reminds us that SEL is ​‘not taught in a vacuum’ and that ​‘weaker SEL skills are associated with poorer academic attainment’. The EEF toolkit provides a useful reminder that addressing SEL can result in +4 months progress. Improving Social Emotional Learning in Primary Schools is likely to be increasingly important over the coming months and we ignore this at our peril.

Pupil’s self esteem is intrinsically linked to engagement, when pupils are intrinsically motivated their achievement is greatly enhanced. Ask any teacher about a time when they have made a real difference to a pupil they have taught and they are most likely to reflect on a once disengaged pupil, who through carefully constructed learning and emotional support they managed to re-engage in learning; they are proud of the outcomes the pupil achieved and how much the pupil deserved to succeed. Through using a range of SEL strategies as outlined in the EEF Guidance report (whether or not they realised this is what they are doing) successful teachers through positive relationships develop intrinsic learners.

Is the pupil reflected on above more likely to be a girl or a boy? With the increase in online learning, I was initially hopeful that maybe the use of technology might support boys to engage in learning. Why when it was suggested to colleagues that boys were engaging more in online learning than girls, was this a surprise? Let us consider why boys might underachieve. How often have you heard colleagues saying things like.. they just don’t listen, he works so slowly, well what do you expect he’s a boy, he won’t even try in case he gets it wrong… Is it subconsciously ingrained in us to assume that boys are less likely than girls to engage in learning? Is it our expectations that are letting boys down or are there other factors that come into play? In an Optimus Education Blog, Emily Colyer May 2019 prompts us to think about the impact of peer pressure and stereotyping. She suggests that, ​‘By questioning the way that we help shape boys into young men, we can consider more positive alternatives to the current picture, where boys are faltering academically and are often damaged by society’s expectations about how they should behave.’ Does the answer lie using SEL strategies in finding ways to develop in boys an intrinsic motivation.

Online learning has become part of everyday life. Our normal structures and strategies to support all children are no longer in place. The learning curve has been steep. Initial actions to improve engagement and learning included improving the quality of lessons using the EEF Rapid Evidence Assessment Remote Learning: April 2020 to inform CPD and develop ways to ensure the elements of effective teaching are present in the google classroom lessons. In addition to this phone calls have been made, chrome books issued, internet issues discussed and for a few paper packs issued. Teachers have risen to the challenge by reading reviews, taking advice and adapting practice, yet still we are in a situation where engagement has decreased from that of the first few weeks. Even more concerning is the fact that fewer disadvantaged pupils and fewer boys are engaging regularly in online learning even in cases where chromebooks have been loaned to children. Without engagement, these pupils will not make the progress they are capable of.

If we accept that the activities presented to children meet the expectations of good teaching, then what is it we need to tackle to support pupils to switch on their chrome books in the first place?

Are we expecting too much from parents, who are busy working from home or do not understand the learning process?

Alex Quigley reminded us recently in his webinar ​‘Closing the literacy gap in challenging times’ that only 31% of young children are read to daily at home. Reading to your child is certainly easier than supporting them with daily online learning. So how can we expect our parents to support their children?.

Has the time come to refocus our efforts and put in place strategies that will support parents to enjoy positive relationships with their children as a first step towards increasing the number of children engaging in online learning?

We have during this time been in much more regular contact with many more of our parents, in particular parents of some of our most vulnerable children. This has undoubtedly supported our pastoral team and other staff building relationships with many families, who we would previously have described as hard to reach. Let us continue to reach out to these and other parents. These relationships need to be built on and seen as the starting point to securing more meaningful relationships with parents, so that we can develop ways they can support their children.

To do this, do we need to change what it is we are asking of them, so that we can build the skills and an enthusiasm to be actively engaged in their children’s development and learning? Maybe at this point, where parents are not intrinsically motivated we need to consider extrinsic motivation as a stepping stone towards renewed intrinsic motivation.

Colin Seal in an article for Forbes reminds us that Parental Involvement Has ALWAYS Mattered. He states, ​‘Parents want their children to succeed academically, regardless of their race and income level.’ and asks, ​‘Will the COVID-19 pandemic finally force school systems to treat parents as the priceless academic resources they have always been?’ because as he points out, ​‘Children have captive teachers in their parents, not trained and not as skilled, but they do know their children. How many parents have engaged with their children in ways they never would have done without lockdown?’

Online learning is here to stay. There is so much good that can come from the new skills teachers, children and parents have developed. Let’s continue to develop positive ways parents can support their children, whether it is with learning, healthier lifestyles or simply talking to and playing with their children.

We should not now miss this opportunity to continue to enhance parental engagement in ways that ensure it is a positive experience for families. The time is right to critically review the way we work with parents and to develop new ways of working. The EEF Guidance Report – Working with parents to support children provides a useful framework for moving forward. We should take the time to plan and implement strategies that will result in real change that impacts on outcomes for children and mitigates the potential negative impacts of lockdown.

Liz Keogh
Assistant Director of Billesley Research School