Lessons Learned and What To Expect in Primary Education

Where have the last 3 years gone?! It seems only yesterday the COVID-19 pandemic had started and we were in our first ‘Lockdown’, yet here we are in 2023 looking back at lessons learned, and anticipating changes in the immediate future.

The Covid Pandemic had a significant impact on education in the UK, with primary schools facing unprecedented challenges. As a multi-academy trust with six primary schools in and around Birmingham, we experienced firsthand the impact of school closures, remote learning, and social distancing measures on our students, teachers and education staff. In this article, we will explore some of the ways that the education sector responded to these challenges, the lessons we learned, and how those changes have affected and enhanced education today.

One of the most significant challenges that primary schools faced during the pandemic was the transition to remote learning. With schools closed for extended periods of time, teachers had to quickly adapt to new technologies and find ways to deliver effective teaching and learning online. At our trust, we invested heavily in digital infrastructure and training for our teachers, and we were impressed with the resilience and adaptability of our staff and students during this time. We made it our mission to ensure every child had a digital tool to learn from at home and we purchased over 200 Ipads for our most in need children.

Another key challenge was the impact of social distancing measures on the social and emotional wellbeing of our children. For many children, school is not just a place to learn, but also a place to socialise and make connections with their peers. The disruption caused by the pandemic was particularly challenging for those children who relied on school as a safe and supportive environment.

At our trust, we placed a strong emphasis on supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children during this time. We provided additional training for our staff on mental health and wellbeing, and we implemented a range of strategies to help our children stay connected and engaged, including online peer support groups. One of the most significant actions was from our CEO Hazel Pulley. Hazel felt an overwhelming need to be able to talk and connect to all the parents, be a listening ear and support, she personally telephoned parents each week to check-in with them and together they navigated their way through the pandemic feeling supported.

Looking back, we believe that there were some important lessons to be learned from the pandemic. One of the most significant was the importance of flexibility and adaptability in the face of rapidly changing circumstances. The pandemic forced schools to think creatively about how they deliver education, and we believe that some of the innovations that emerged during this time, such as online learning and blended learning models, have the potential to transform education in the future.

Another lesson was the importance of collaboration and partnership. The pandemic highlighted the need for schools to work together to share resources, knowledge, and best practices. At our trust, we benefitted greatly from the support of our partner schools, and we believe that collaboration will continue to be a key driver of innovation and improvement in the years ahead.

Looking to the present day, we have seen how the lessons learned during the pandemic have continued to shape and enhance education. The increased emphasis on digital infrastructure and online learning has opened up new opportunities for our children to access education remotely, and the focus on wellbeing has highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to education that supports both academic and emotional development.

In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for primary schools in the UK. As a multi-academy trust, we experienced firsthand the impact of school closures, remote learning, and social distancing measures on our students and teachers. However, we also learned important lessons from this experience that have helped to shape and enhance education today. The pandemic forced schools to be more flexible and adaptable, and highlighted the importance of collaboration and wellbeing in supporting student learning and development.

Looking to the future, we expect to see continued innovation and evolution in primary education as a result of the lessons learned during the pandemic. One area that we anticipate significant growth is in the use of technology to support teaching and learning. The increased emphasis on digital infrastructure and online learning has highlighted the potential for technology to enhance and transform education, and we expect to see continued investment in this area in the years ahead, with the first step in Virtual Reality.

In addition to technology, we believe that there will be a continued focus on wellbeing and mental health in primary schools. The pandemic has shone a light on the importance of supporting our childrens emotional and social development, and we expect to see increased investment in mental health resources, training for teachers, and programmes that promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

Another trend that we expect to see in the future is a continued emphasis on collaboration and partnership. The pandemic highlighted the benefits of schools working together to share resources, knowledge, and best practices, and we believe that this trend will continue as schools look to innovate and improve in the years ahead.

Finally, we expect to see continued focus on personalised learning and individualised approaches to education. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of tailoring education to meet the specific needs and abilities of each child, and we expect to see increased investment in personalised learning models, as well as the use of data and analytics to track student progress and provide targeted interventions where needed.

In conclusion, the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic have had a profound impact on primary education in the UK. Looking to the future, we expect to see continued innovation and evolution in areas such as technology, wellbeing, collaboration, and personalised learning. As a multi-academy trust with primary schools in and around Birmingham we are committed to staying at the forefront of these developments and ensuring that our children receive the best possible education to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of the future.