SchoolDash, which helps people and organisations to understand education through data, has collaborated with EduKit to monitor in real-time how pupils are coping with lockdown, self-isolation and homeschooling.

EduKit has introduced a short, free and anonymous survey for schools to gauge the wellbeing and experiences of their pupils. Generating just under 9,000 responses from across England between 27 April to 25 May, the data reveals some key findings. However, this is an ongoing research project, and schools interested in participating can still sign up here.

Covid-19 and the subsequent UK lockdown are affecting not only children’s education but their happiness and mental wellbeing too.

• Feelings of loneliness are widespread, especially among older pupils. Up to Year 8, around a third of respondents report feeling lonely “a bit” or “very often”. However, for Years 12 and 13, this proportion was more than half, with 20-25% saying that they “very often” feel lonely. Based on these responses, the estimate is that 800,000 to 900,000 pupils at state schools in England may be feeling lonely “very often”.
• Secondary pupils are much more likely to say that their school has not provided sufficient wellbeing and mental health support, with around 20% of respondents in Years 9-12 saying “not really” or “not at all”. This compares to around 30% who say that they get plenty of support.
• About 70% of all year groups report feeling bored “a bit” or “very often”. Among secondary school pupils, over 30% report feeling bored “very often”.
• Daily exercise and healthy eating also decline with age. Among pupils in Years 10-12, 40% or more reported taking less than 30 minutes of exercise a day.
• Overall life satisfaction also appears to have declined compared to surveys conducted before lockdown, especially amongst boys.
• For secondary pupils, overall life satisfaction correlates most strongly with (absence of) loneliness. Among primary pupils, feeling comfortable at home was the most significant factor.

SchoolDash plans to issue further analyses as the dataset grows and the lockdown situation evolves. For further information on SchoolDash, please click here.