Scottish Attainment Challenge - 2018-2022: equality impact assessment

Equity Audit

We published the Equity Audit in January 2021 to deepen our understanding of the impact that COVID-19 and school building closures had on children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and set clear areas of focus for accelerating recovery and support how we implement the Attainment Challenge in 2021/22 and beyond.

The Equity Audit focussed particularly on the impact of the school building closures from 20 March 2020 to the early stages of re-opening of schools on 11August 2020. The Equity Audit involved an evidence review of local, national and international literature, along with a representative sample of 54 schools in Scotland, looking at a range of measures put in place by schools, local authorities and other partners to mitigate the impacts, with a focus on health and wellbeing and intensifying support.

A number of key themes emerged from the evidence review and from the school-based interviews conducted as part of the Equity Audit. These themes; or key factors behind educational experiences and attainment during this period, have been broadly categorised as follows:

I. Health and wellbeing support

Most Scottish stakeholders, along with the published evidence, identified that both the mental and physical health and wellbeing of children and young people may have been negatively impacted during school building closure. Children and young people reported missing the social aspect of school and the daily interactions with friends and teachers.

II. Digital infrastructure and connectivity

Evidence pointed to the importance of access to technology (devices and connectivity) for children and young people. Where there were gaps in such access – with socio-economically disadvantaged children and young people potentially being most negatively affected - this had a direct impact on the home learning experience and the engagement of children and young people.

III. Support to parents and families

Remote learning was effective in some cases; this was dependent on specific conditions such as parental support and access to digital devices and connectivity. Effective communication between schools and families was key to the ongoing support for children and young people. Collaboration with partners proved essential in enabling schools to better identify vulnerable families and put in place tailored support.

IV. Teaching provision and the quality of learning

International evidence generally shows that school building closures are likely to have had a negative effect on children and young people progress and attainment, with children and young people who are affected by socio-economic disadvantage being amongst those who may have been most affected. Moving to models of online learning required schools to adapt teaching and learning practices. Children in the early years of primary or those starting secondary were most likely to see a negative impact on their progress.

V. Support for teachers and the wider workforce

Additional support for staff, parents and children and young people increased confidence and knowledge regarding the use of digital technology; this remains a priority. In addition, for staff, digital pedagogy remains an additional focus for continued professional learning.