The 'lost generation'

Primary school pupils in Manchester who missed out on face-to-face learning during pandemic are behind other children in UK

- JOSEPH TIMAN

MANCHESTER'S primary school pupils who missed out on face-to-face learning during the pandemic have fallen further behind other children in the country.

Early indicators from the first formal assessments since 2019 have revealed a 'concerning' decline in performance, particularly among the youngest children.

The widening gap has been linked to longer-lasting Covid-related restrictions and a persistently high infection rate in Manchester throughout the pandemic which resulted in more than 3 million days of face-to-face schooling missed.

Standards in reading, writing, maths and science at Key Stage 1 have all slipped with the difference from national outcomes more than doubling in three years.

The development of children under five has declined with only 53 pc achieving the expected level of learning, compared to 66 pc in 2019 and 65 pc nationally.

The percentage of Year 1 pupils meeting the required standard in phonics has fallen by 10.7 percentage points across the city, with only 68.4 pc scoring well.

Key Stage 2 figures are mixed, while GCSE and A Level results have improved.

Headteachers, council staff and politicians have called for urgent action from the government, saying that more funding is needed to help children catch-up.

The Department for Education says it has committed to record levels of spending in schools, including two million tutoring courses for students.