Their loss

What lost learning caused by the pandemic means for universities

School’s out—at least, it is for most Year 13 students heading for university in the autumn. The statement by Amanda Spielman, Ofsted chief inspector, to The Guardian this week that schools in England should continue to educate A-level students for the rest of the school year came too late for the many exam-year students who are already on study leave despite having no exams to study for.

Also too late for this year’s school leavers will be any of the £1.4 billion over three years promised by the government this week for extra tutoring for disadvantaged pupils and teacher training and development, or the £1.7bn already announced to help pupils catch up on the learning they have missed because of the pandemic.