1.5m children struggle to engage in their learning

At least 1.5 million children a week are struggling to engage in learning, according to a new report released by Pearson.

Now in its third year, the Pearson School Report revealed that 97 per cent of classroom teachers witnessed children and young people having difficulty engaging with their learning in the week they were surveyed.

Based on the percentage of students whom teachers identified as having difficulty engaging, the numbers could exceed 1.5 million and be as high as 3.5 million.

There is growing concern amongst educators across the country; in the past year, almost six in 10 teachers have become increasingly concerned about pupil disengagement.

The findings show that the issue is more significant in secondary schools, with around half of teachers asked saying that over a quarter of their students had difficulties engaging (compared to 37 per cent of primary). One in eight (13 per cent) secondary school teachers felt this was affecting as many as 75 per cent of their students.

Whilst seven in 10 learners surveyed shared their enjoyment of school, a similar number admitted that they struggled to engage in lessons and one in five shared that they struggled ‘a lot’. Among the top five things students said impacted their learning are a lack of understanding, not feeling clever enough, feeling unwell, struggling to engage in the same way as classmates, and being hungry.

Sharon Hague, managing director of School Assessment and Qualifications at Pearson, said: “While the challenges raised in our findings may seem stark at times, the proactivity and positivity of educators in seeking solutions and making a difference shine through.

"But they cannot do this alone. Whether it’s teachers innovating with digital resources, diverse content or adapting content so that it’s relevant to students lives today, we need to listen to what works and share that success far and wide.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to education. Through our own pilots and wider research, we have seen the staggering difference technology and adaptations are making to students. We are committed to sharing the voices of students, school staff and those in the sector as we strive to play our part in engaging this generation and those to come.”