Email this article 
Hide
Show all
Covid, Home Schooling and Inequalities
Abstract
Introduction: One major effect of the Covid 19 lockdown has been the closure of schools and the switch to home learning for most children through online or hybrid models of teaching and learning. However, questions would be asked about the quality of this model, especially in the light of recent policy moves to reduce educational differences across the country.
Research Aims: The aims of this article are to draw together recent research into home schooling during the Covid 19 pandemic and provide a theoretical explanation against a policy background with a stated aim of reducing inequalities in education
Method: A literature review was carried out of articles that relate to the experiences of home schooling for children and families as well as more general effects of lockdown.
Results: Results show clear differences in home schooling experiences in terms of resources and attitudes, and school provision. Concepts of cultural capital and cultural deprivation have been used to show how inequalities continue to persist despite recent policy aimed at reducing inequalities.
Conclusions: Home schooling has brought inequalities into sharp focus over how schools deliver home schooling and how children and families are able to take advantage of what has been provided. It indicates that a cultural shift is needed. Education has been devolved to the level of the individual and for real change to take place, a more collective approach is needed. Education has been devolved to the level of the individual and for real change to take place, a more collective approach is needed.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Adisa, Y., Aiyenitaju, O., Adekoya, O. (2021). The work–family balance of British working women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 13 (2), 241-260. http://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-07-2020-0036
Andrew, A., Cattan, S., Costa Dias, M., Farquharson, C., Kraftman, L., Krutikova, S., Phimister, A., Sevilla, A. (2021). Inequalities in children’s experiences of home learning during the COVID-19 lockdown in England. Institute for Fiscal Studies Working Paper, 41(3), 653–683. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-5890.12240
Bourdieu, P. (1978). Reproduction in education, society, and culture. Comparative Education 14(1), 75-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305006780140109
Bray, L., Carter, B., Blake, L., Saron, H., Kirton, J.A., Robichaud, F., et al. (2021). “People play it down and tell me it can’t kill people, but I know people are dying each day”. Children’s health literacy relating to a global pandemic (COVID-19); an international cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE, 16(2), e0246405. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246405
Bubb, S., Jones, M. (2020). Learning from the COVID-19 home-schooling experience: Listening to pupils, parents/carers and teachers. Improving Schools, 23(3), 209–222. https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480220958797
Del Bono, E., Fumagalli, L., Holford, A., Rabe, B. (2021) Coping with school closures: changes in home-schooling during COVID-19. Institute for Social and Economic Research, Report July 2021. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/files/news/2021/little-inequality-homeschool/coping-with-school-closures.pdf
Department for Children, Schools and Families (2009). Deprivation and education. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/9431/1/DCSF-RTP-09-01.pdf
Department for Education (2019). Elective home education- Departmental guidance for parents. Retrieved 17, December 2021 from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/791528/EHE_guidance_for_parentsafterconsultationv2.2.pdf
Dimopoulos, K., Koutsampelas, C., Tsatsaroni, A. (2021). Home schooling through online teaching in the era of COVID-19: Exploring the role of home-related factors that deepen educational inequalities across European societies. European Educational Research Journal, 20(4), 479–497. https://doi.org/10.1177/14749041211023331
Douglas, J.W.B. (1964). The Home and the School. MacGibbon and Kee.
English, P. (2021). Is the stereotypical image of ‘Red Wall’ residents actually accurate? YouGov. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/05/17/stereotypical-image-red-wall-residents-accurate
Fensham-Smith, A. (2021). Invisible pedagogies in home education: Freedom, power, and control. Journal of Pedagogy, 12 (1), 5-27. https://doi.org/10.2478/jped-2021-0001
Gibson, L., Lockyer, B., Dickerson, J., Endacott, C., Bridges, S., McEachan, R., Pickett, K, Whalan, S., Bear, N., Silva, D. et al. (2021). Comparison of Experiences in Two Birth Cohorts Comprising Young Families with Children under Four Years during the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown in Australia and the UK: A Qualitative Study. Public Health, 18, 9119. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179119
Gov.UK (2021). Educating your child at home. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://www.gov.uk/home-education
Gov.UK (2020). PM guarantees minimum funding levels for all schools. Press release. Retrieved 17, December 2021 from : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-guarantees-minimum-funding-levels-for-all-schools
Gov.UK (2021) £200 million boost to help level up communities across the UK. Press release 3rd November 2021. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/200-million-boost-to-help-level-up-communities-across-the-uk
Local Government Association (2021). The Levelling Up agenda, House of Commons, 15 June 2021. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://www.local.gov.uk/parliament/briefings-and-responses/levelling-agenda-house-commons-15-june-2021
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2004). The Impact of Overcrowding on Health and Education: A Review of the Evidence and Literature. Research Summary 210. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/5073/1/138631.pdf
Pensiero, N., Kelly, A., Bokhove, C. (2021). Learning inequalities during the Covid-19 pandemic. A longitudinal analysis using the UK Understanding Society 2020 and 2021 data University of Southampton. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/450310/1/Formatted_covid_report.pdf. http://doi/10.5258/SOTON/P0118
Sallie, S., Ritou., V, Bowden-Jones H., Boon, V. (2020). Assessing international alcohol consumption patterns during isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic using an online survey: highlighting negative emotionality mechanisms. BMJ Open 2020, 10(11) e044276. http://doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044276
Sharp, C., Keys, W., Benefield, P. (2001). Homework: A review of recent research. National Federation for Educational Research. National Foundation for Educational Research.
Sinha, I., Bennett, D. Taylor-Robinson, D. (2020). Children are being side-lined by covid-19. BMJ, 369, 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2061
The Economist (2012). The great divide. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://www.economist.com/britain/2012/09/15/the-great-divide
Topriceanu, C., Wong, A., Moon, J., Hughes, A., Bann, D., Chaturvedi, N., Patalay, P., Conti, G., Captur, G. (2021). Evaluating access to health and care services during lockdown by the COVID-19 survey in five UK national longitudinal studies. BMJ Open 2021;11, e045813, 1-10. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045813
UK2070 Commission (2020). An inquiry into Regional Inequalities towards a framework for action. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: http://uk2070.org.uk/
UK Parliament (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Education & Care. Rapid response. Published Wednesday, 27 October 2021. Retrieved 17, December, 2021 from: https://post.parliament.uk/impact-of-covid-19-on-early-childhood-education
care/#:~:text=The%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic%20has%20impacted%20the%20ECEC%20sector%20in,to%20settings%20has%20been%20increasing
Williams, S., Armitage, C., Tampe, T., Dienes, K. (2021). Public perceptions of non-adherence to pandemic protection measures by self and others: A study of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom. PLoS ONE, 16(10), e0258781, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258781
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/lrp.2022.41.2.41-53
Date of publication: 2022-08-16 12:00:15
Date of submission: 2021-12-08 15:48:40
Statistics
Indicators
Copyright (c) 2022
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.