Skip to content
Institute of Economic Affairs

Institute of Economic Affairs

Institute of Economic Affairs

Sunday February 28, 2021
  • twitter
  • facebook
  • rss
  • Institute of Economic Affairs
  • Home
  • About
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Epicenter
  • Contact Us
  • twitter
  • facebook
  • rss
  • Blog
  • Film
  • Coronavirus
  • Research
    • Publications
    • Economic Affairs
    • EA Magazine
    • Brexit Unit
    • Int. Trade & Competition Unit
    • SMPC
    • Paragon Initiative
  • Media
    • Media Coverage
    • Press Releases
    • Media Enquiries
    • About IEA Comms
  • Students
    • Internships
    • Events and Conferences
    • Essay Competition
    • Student Resources
    • IEA Budget Challenge
    • Economics101
  • Events
    • Forthcoming Events
    • Past Events
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Donate Monthly
    • Donate to IEA Projects
    • Other Ways to Donate
    • Legacy Gift
    • Donate from USA
    • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Epicenter
  • Contact Us

Back to School – and After

J. R. Shackleton
22 February 2021
Institute of Economic Affairs > Publications > Policies > Education
Summary

  • School closure has been damaging to the mental health of some children and to the educational progress of many. The long-term costs to individuals and the economy of this hiatus in schooling can be exaggerated, but are still likely to be substantial.

  • The costs of the damage are likely to have fallen most heavily on poorer or otherwise disadvantaged children, and the government is understandably taking particular note of this in designing policies to assist educational recovery.

  • As with the NHS, the Covid-19 crisis has exposed longstanding problems in the educational system and there is a strong case for government policy to look beyond short-term recovery and temporary changes.

  • Policies such as changing the structure of the school year and the length of the school day, which have been advocated for years, could now be brought forward. The government could also consider changing the ages at which children enter and leave primary school.

  • Teaching practices could be reviewed in light of new technologies and changes in the way in which children learn. It should become easier for a wider range of people to become teachers, and the requirement for Qualified Teacher Status could be dropped in maintained schools.

  • In the short run, some form of examination is needed, delayed if necessary, for A level and other terminal qualifications, rather than reliance on teacher assessment. In the longer term, the National Curriculum could be decluttered and there could be only a limited number of examinations at 16. A levels might usefully revert to a modular structure.

  • More power could be placed in the hands of parents, particularly poorer parents. The Pupil Premium could be given to parents to spend on tutorial support or other relevant educational provision. Experiments with education vouchers could also be encouraged, with the ultimate objective of making it possible for the distinction between state and independent schools to be broken down.


Fullscreen Mode


Len Shackleton
  • email

Editorial and Research Fellow

Len Shackleton is an Editorial and Research Fellow at the IEA and Professor of Economics at the University of Buckingham. He was previously Dean of the Royal Docks Business School at the University of East London and prior to that was Dean of the Westminster Business School. He has also taught at Queen Mary, University of London and worked as an economist in the Civil Service. His research interests are primarily in the economics of labour markets. He has worked with many think tanks, most closely with the Institute of Economic Affairs, where he is an Economics Fellow. He edits the journal Economic Affairs, which is co-published by the IEA and the University of Buckingham.
Download
Share
GET the full report here
Download
READ MORE
PRESS RELEASE

SIGN UP FOR IEA EMAILS

Share this Story

previousResearchViral Myths: Why we risk learning the wrong lessons from the pandemicDr Kristian Niemietz9 February 2021
latestEducationBack to School – and AfterJ. R. Shackleton22 February 2021
GET the full report here
Download
READ MORE
PRESS RELEASE
previous
Research

Viral Myths: Why we risk learning the wrong lessons from the pandemic

9 February 2021
latest
Education

Back to School – and After

22 February 2021
Institute of Economic Affairs
BE PART OF THE IEA TODAY
  • Donate
  • Like
  • Follow
  • Watch

NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

Privacy Policy
© Institute of Economic Affairs
REGISTERED IN ENGLAND 755502, CHARITY NO. CC/235 351, LIMITED BY GUARANTEE
×
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

Performance

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

Uncategorized

Undefined cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

Save & Accept
Powered by CookieYes