Expert comment on the education attainment gap for poorer families
Dr Dimitra Hartas, an educational psychologist from Warwick's Centre for Education Studies, comments on a study of more than 4,000 families, carried out for the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), which shows children from wealthier families spend more time on education activities during lockdown, than those from poorer families.
She said: “Most parents are already involved with their children’s education but for low income families being the prime driver of learning is not sustainable. Home learning cannot replace learning that takes place at school, and is likely to further widen the achievement gap.
“We must remember also that school is not just a place for learning, but also often the first place children and teenagers seek help and access support and advice. So we need to better understand and mitigate the effects of school closures for vulnerable young people, particularly for carers and those seeking care, SEND pupils and children in poverty."
Dr Hartas is an expert in parental involvement with children's learning and the socio-economic environment within which families operate.
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