LONDON (AP) – Some young children have forgotten how to eat with a knife and fork and the coronavirus epidemic and the closure of school-related schools have affected young people’s learning, so others have turned to diapers.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, also known as Offstead, published five reports based on more than 900 visits to England and the search for social care providers since September. Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman said some of the children most affected by the epidemic were those who were with their education parents in their early years, who “had a double experience of less time with parents and less time with other children.”
She said teachers pointed out the need for some toilet-trained students to use diapers again and “others who forgot some basic skills they had mastered, such as eating with a knife and fork – not to mention the loss of initial progress in words and numbers.”
Among older children, some were lagging behind in math, struggling with literacy and concentration, or losing physical fitness, the report said. Others showed signs of mental distress, which led to increased eating disorders and self-harm.
Most children have lost their education to varying degrees since March, while some have coped well because they spent quality time with parents and caregivers, Spielman said.
Schools and childcare settings for most children were closed in March as the coronavirus epidemic hit Britain hard. Since September, all children in England have participated in the individual class. Schools and universities in England were allowed to remain open under a new lockdown that began last week.
Officials in Wales, who have often imposed stricter COVID-19 bans than in England, announced on Tuesday that crucial exams for high school students would be canceled for 2021 amid ongoing school disruptions due to the epidemic.
Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams said the epidemic “made it impossible to guarantee a level playing field for conducting exams”, and that the decision “relieves learners’ pressure.”
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