This report explores the experiences of young people following the closure of schools in England on 20th March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It forms part of a wider programme of rapid response research into the impact of school closure on young people, parents, teachers and outreach professionals, conducted by the Centre for Social Mobility at the University of Exeter and the Centre for Education and Youth.

Key Findings:

• Access to tech is proving to be a barrier to some students’ learning. Most of the students we surveyed have access to at least a mobile phone and a laptop in their household, but some students flagged that they had to share these devices with other household members
• A fifth of the students we surveyed, and 30% of disadvantaged students, do not have access to a quiet study space in their homes
• Most students reported no change to their family dynamic as a result of school closure. However, where students did report a change this tended to be negative
• On average, students’ self-reported wellbeing was significantly below normal levels in the population as a whole, taken outside the period of school closure
• Students are overwhelmingly concerned with their grades, with many telling us they now feel less control over their own destinies
• Most students were happy with the support they were receiving from their school or college. When we asked students how support could be improved, the most common request was for more or better communication

Click HERE to read the full article from The Centre for Education and Youth and The University of Exeter, June 2020.