Children experiencing ‘unorthodox’ schooling since pandemic, Ofsted says
Many children are experiencing “unorthodox” schooling methods since the pandemic in England, according to Ofsted’s latest report.
The education watchdog highlighted concerns about an increase in part-time timetables, hybrid learning and growing attendance issues – especially affecting vulnerable students.
In his first annual report as Ofsted chief inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver described the current state of education as “fractured and fragmented” and warned that pupil attendance remained a “stubborn and damaging issue”.
He also said there were significant challenges which persisted for schools and the wider sector.
Attendance levels have yet to recover from pre-pandemic norms. Government data shows that nearly 20% of pupils were persistently absent during the 2023/24 autumn and spring terms, nearly double the rate before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Sir Martyn linked the rise in absenteeism to shifts in family routines, suggesting parents working from home were able to keep their children off school.
He pointed to increasing instances of “flexi-schooling” – where parents home-school their children for part of the week, contributing to the instability in their learning.
Chief Ofsted inspector Sir Martyn Oliver. Pic: PA
Sir Martyn said approximately 34,000 children are now on part-time timetables – where pupils attend school for only part of the week. The Department for Education has said this should only be a last resort.
He added: “The spread of part-time timetables suggests they are becoming more readily used, which cannot be good.”
Sir Martyn said they should only be used as a short-term measure and in consultation with parents or carers.
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Thousands of children missing school
Home-schooling has also more than doubled since 2017, with 92,000 children now educated at home.
Sir Martyn said their provision was not Ofsted’s responsibility, and that local authorities and the Department for Education should have oversight of this area.
The report also touched on the education watchdog’s own reforms following public scrutiny and the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, whose school was downgraded from the top “outstanding” grade to the lowest, “inadequate”, after an inspection.
“As we introduce changes, we won’t shy away from calling out unacceptable education or care,” the chief inspector said.
“But we will also highlight and champion great work.”
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Ruth Perry’s sister speaking back in September
There are plans to replace single-word school grades with detailed report cards, with consultations on new frameworks due in January.
When asked about the potential for the new system to cause additional pressure on schools and teachers, Sir Martyn said: “It would be an opportunity to showcase their strengths.”
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More than 87,000 teachers have left the profession in the last two years, and schools are struggling to recruit and retain skilled staff.
The report said the high turnover, especially in nurseries, disrupted early development, with children in low-income areas and those with special educational needs and disabilities feeling the impact most acutely.
An amber warning has been issued for snow in a part of the UK, likely to cause travel delays and “stranding some vehicles and passengers”.
The warning, which covers south west England, also warns some rural communities could become cut off and is in place until 2pm this evening.
Pic: Met Office
There is also a yellow weather warning for snow covering the southern counties of England until midnight on Wednesday.
The warning stretches from Kent to Cornwall and up to south London and the Met Office said between 2cm and 5cm of snow could accumulate fairly widely, with as much as 10cm over higher ground.
This week is expected to see the coldest nights of the year, with temperatures potentially reaching -14C on Wednesday night and -16C on Thursday night, both in the North East of England and Scotland, the Met Office said.
Weather warnings issued on Tuesday for snow and ice covering the parts of Wales, the North West of England, west and northern parts of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland will remain in place until midnight tomorrow.
The forecaster said some roads and railways are likely to be affected and there could be icy patches on untreated roads.
Pics: AP
Meanwhile the Environment Agency has said at least 300 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve. It estimates more than 41,000 properties have been protected.
Heavy rainfall over the New Year caused significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire and snowmelt has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly the Midlands, the agency said.
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Man says flooding ‘came out of nowhere’
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.”
Flood warnings
Some 100 flood warnings were in force across England on Wednesday, with people urged to remain vigilant over the coming days.
A danger-to-life warning was issued on Tuesday morning for the River Soar near Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, but was later removed.
People living in caravan parks in the area were urged by the Environment Agency to act, with a large-scale evacuation needed to save lives.
Firefighters have rescued dozens of people across Leicestershire since Monday, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said.
Hundreds of schools were closed across the UK, with road and rail links blocked, as Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool John Lennon airports suspended flights because of the conditions.
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