School building closures and home-learning experienced worldwide have impacted on learners’ educational experiences and wellbeing.

There was a risk to both the mental and physical health and wellbeing of children and young people during school building closures.

There were also risks to the health of family members, as well as children and young people self-harming.

The number of contacts with social services and other organisations regarding wellbeing concerns increased significantly. Staff view the deterioration in wellbeing as negatively impacting learning.

Where schools provided outdoor learning tasks, parents and children and young people were positive about the physical health benefits.

Children and young people reported missing the social aspect of school and the daily interactions with friends and teachers. The impact of this was lessened when they were able to remain in contact with their friends via digital platforms.

Access to technology and digital capability is, and will remain, a fundamental aspect of education in Scotland.

There is an inherent need for appropriate digital devices, connectivity and the skills to use online platforms well.

Variation in the availability of technology for children and young people was evident, with socio-economically disadvantaged children and young people being most negatively affected.

As well as those living in socio-economically disadvantaged communities, connectivity was a particular issue for remote/rural communities.

Remote learning can be effective given the right conditions. This works best for children and young people for whom intentional, personalised and sufficient resources are available.

Learning packs, including learning activities plus resources such as stationery, were valued by parents. For families who were unable to collect learning packs, some schools delivered them to homes or local shops.

Parents and children and young people reported favourably when they had also been involved in consultations about support and learning. Communication was a key feature that was highly valued by learners and parents.

Although many schools used recorded videos to support learners, many learners would have liked more opportunities for live interactions with their teachers.

Effective communication helped encourage some pupils who were not engaging in remote learning to take part. Practitioners employed a range of ways to do this, including phone calls, emails, personalised ‘praise’ letters, certificates and doorstep and garden visits. Online meets helped learners stay connected and engaged.

Some parents found it difficult to keep up with the amount of work due to family and work commitments. They were also concerned about the amount of screen time their child was experiencing.

Initially some schools tried to replicate the school day posting a wealth of materials for each lesson/day before adopting a more flexible approach with weekly updates provided. Some parents and pupils appreciated this as it allowed for better planning at home.

In a few cases, children and young people reported they had found it easier to learn in a remote setting. This was particularly prevalent where they had good digital skills and parental support.

Collaboration with partners and other agencies enabled schools to better identify vulnerable families and put in place tailored support which included: regular wellbeing/safeguarding check ins by phone or through doorstep visits; provision of food and other essential supplies; signposting families to sources of financial and emotional support; and provision of bespoke home-learning support.

In a number of schools, translation and cultural support was provided to families where families have English as an additional language.

The majority of participants held the view that school building closures had a negative effect on pupil progress and attainment. Children and young people who were most negatively affected by school building closure included those adversely affected by poverty.

Mitigations considered within international literature for the recovery period include greater personalisation, one to one support, smaller groups and specialist support where appropriate

Moving to models of online learning has required adapting teaching and learning practices.

Prior to the closure of school buildings a number of schools quickly implemented training to help build and develop confidence and skills in using online learning approaches to support learners.

Schools already using online platforms were better placed to move to online learning and teaching; this worked best when supported by appropriate digital training for staff, pupils and parents.

Children for whom English is an additional language were also cited as having to revisit skills they had developed prior to the school building closures, in both their mother tongue and in English.

Literacy was more often cited as being negatively affected than numeracy.

Children in the early years of primary or those starting secondary were most likely to see a negative impact on their progress.

Additional training for staff, parents and pupils increased user confidence and knowledge and this remains a priority. For staff, digital pedagogy remains a focus for continued professional learning.

The evidence reviewed is also clear that the availability of devices and connectivity alone is not enough, with teaching support and peer interaction cited as important for improving learning outcomes, particularly for children and young people who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.