Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey February 2021: Impact of School Closures

This publication investigates the impact of enforced school closures on the education of students in primary and secondary schools.  Responding adults with a child in primary or secondary school were asked to rate the impact (if any) that being away from school is having on their child’s learning and social development.  These respondents were also asked how many hours per day, on average, their child is spending on learning activities (e.g. worksheets, online lessons or other materials) provided by the school during this period of enforced school closures.  If a responding adult had more than one child attending a primary or secondary school, then they were asked to answer the questions in relation to the oldest child in that school.

Analysis of this survey data is presented for primary and secondary school students separately.  The third round of the Social Impact of COVID-19 survey (conducted in August 2020) was undertaken to primarily measure attitudes around returning to school for the 2020/2021 academic year.  Respondents to the August survey were also asked how many hours per day, on average, their child spent on learning activities provided by the school during enforced school closures from March to June 2020.  This publication compares statistics related to the amount of time spent on learning activities during the two enforced school closure periods.

In the February 2021 survey, working adults with pre-school, primary or secondary school children were asked the impacts (if any) of the closure of schools and childcare facilities on their work pattern.  Adults with a child in primary school were also asked about the amount of time spent per day helping their primary school children with schoolwork.

Responding adults with a child in primary or secondary school were asked to rate the impact (if any) that being away from school is having on their child’s learning and social development.  The responses to these questions were given on a 7-point scale, with answers ranging from a ‘Major negative impact’ to a ‘Major positive impact’.  Due to the relatively small number of respondents reporting a ‘Major positive impact’, a ‘Moderate positive impact’ or a ‘Minor positive impact’, these three response categories are combined and reported as a ‘Positive’ impact in this publication.

More than one in three (36.3%) respondents with a child in secondary school reported that enforced school closures has had a Major negative impact on their child’s learning.  The comparable rate for primary school students is 14.8%.  See Tables 2.1, 2.2 and Figure 2.1

At secondary level, the enforced closure of schools has the largest negative impact on the learning of senior cycle students (fifth and sixth year students). Almost one in two (47.9%) respondents with a child in senior cycle secondary education reported a Major negative impact on their child’s learning.  The comparable rate for respondents with a junior cycle secondary school student (first, second or third year) was one in four (25.2%).  Respondents with a senior cycle secondary student were more likely to report a positive effect on their child’s learning, with almost one in ten (9.0%) reporting this compared with 1.5% of respondents with a child in junior cycle secondary education.  See Table 2.2 and Figure 2.2

The social development of secondary school students has been more negatively impacted by enforced school closures than that of primary students.  One in three (33.6%) respondents with a child in secondary school reported a Major negative impact on their child’s social development.  The comparable rate for respondents with a primary school student was one in five (20.9%).  In total seven out of ten (72.0%) of respondents with a secondary school student reported that the enforced closure of schools has had a Major Negative or a Moderate Negative impact on their child’s social development.  The comparable rate for primary school students is 51.4%.  See Tables 2.3, 2.4 and Figure 2.3

Respondents with school-going children were asked how many hours of learning per day their child spends on worksheets, online lessons or other materials provided by their school since early January.  Respondents to the third round of Social Impact of Covid-19 survey, which was conducted in August 2020, were also asked how many hours per day their child spent on learning activities provided by their children’s primary schools when they were closed from March to June 2020. 

During enforced school closures from March to June 2020, one in four (25.0%) respondents with a child attending primary school reported that their child spent one hour or less on learning activities provided by their schools.  The comparable rate during school closures in January and February 2021 is one in ten (10.4%).

From March to June 2020 one in three (33.5%) respondents reported that their child in primary school spent three hours or more on learning activities provided by their schools.  This rate has increased to 56.9% during primary school closures in 2021.  See Table 2.5 and Figure 2.4

During enforced school closures in January and February 2021, two in three (66.3%) respondents with a child attending secondary school reported that their child spends five hours or more on learning activities provided by their schools.  Three in four (76.1%) reported that their child spends four hours or more on these activities.  See Table 2.6 and Figure 2.5

In order to compare the number of hours spent by secondary school students on learning activities provided by their schools during the two enforced school closure periods, values for the January and February 2021 reference period in Figure 2.6 below do not include 2021 leaving certificate students.

Hours spent by secondary school students on learning activities during the current period of enforced school closures, are provided separately for All Secondary School Students and for Secondary School Students excluding 2021 Leaving Certificate Students in Table 2.6.

The third round of the Social Impact of COVID-19 survey, conducted in August 2020, was undertaken to primarily measure attitudes around returning to school for the 2020/2021 academic year.  Information related to 2020 leaving certificate students was not collected in this survey.  Therefore, statistics related to the number of hours secondary school pupils spent on learning activities when schools were closed in March to June 2020, as published in the Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey August 2020: The Reopening of Schools excludes the leaving certificate class of 2020. 

During the first enforced school closure period from March to June 2020, three in ten (29.9%) respondents with a child in secondary school (first to fifth year students) reported that their child spent five hours or more per day on learning activities provided by the child’s secondary school.  The comparable rate during secondary school closures in 2021 is seven in ten (69.0%).  See Table 2.6 and Figure 2.6

Respondents with a child in primary school were asked the average time spent per day by adult household members helping the primary school children with their schoolwork.  The average time spent per day is 52 minutes.  See Table 2.7

Respondents who are employed and who are the parents or guardians of pre-school, primary or secondary school children were asked if the closure of schools and childcare facilities has had an impact on their work pattern.  Those respondents that reported an impact on their work pattern were asked about the type of impact and the answer options to this question were

1. Changed to working from home
2. Took annual leave
3. Took unpaid leave
4. Reduced the number of hours worked
5. Same hours but disjointed throughout day/week
6. Other
7. No impact

In responding to this question respondents could choose multiple options.

Almost six in ten (58.5%) respondents said that the closure of schools and childcare facilities has had an impact on their work pattern.  Female workers were more likely to report an impact, with two in three (66.1%) reporting this, compared with less than one in two (47.4%) of male respondents.  See Table  2.8 and Figure 2.7.

Of workers with pre-school, primary or secondary school children the most reported impact on working pattern was working the same hours but disjointed throughout the day or week.  Almost one in four (23.2%) workers with children reported this impact.  Just over 12% reported that they Changed to working from home and one in ten (10.9%) have reduced the number of hours worked since schools have not re-opened after the Christmas holidays.  See Table 2.8 and Figure 2.8

Seven in ten (70.3%) respondents who are employed and who are the parents or guardians of a child in primary school reported that the closure of primary schools since Christmas has had an impact on their work pattern.  Analysis by sex shows that female workers were more likely to report an impact (74.0% compared with 63.4% of male respondents).

Male respondents with a child in primary school were more likely to report working the same hours but disjointed throughout the day or week, with four in ten (40.8%) reporting this, compared with two in ten (21.7%) female workers.  Female workers were more likely to have taken unpaid leave (9.4% compared with 0.4% of male respondents) or to have changed to working from home (16.7% compared with 9.3% of male respondents).  See Table 2.9 and Figure 2.9.

For further COVID-19 related information go to the CSO COVID-19 Information Hub.