This NFER analysis reports on the proportions of students achieving at or above three key GCSE grades in English and mathematics. The report explores what school and pupil characteristics were associated with changes in performance in English and mathematics during Covid-19 disruption, and if different areas of the curriculum were differentially impacted by the disruption to teaching as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The NRT, which annually assesses student achievement at key GCSE grade boundaries, provides a unique opportunity to directly compare performance at ability level and assess the effects of pandemic-related disruptions.
The report examines changes in performance gaps between students and schools based on demographic and attainment variables. The research focused on two key themes: socio-economic factors and prior performance. The analysis also considered other student and school-level demographic factors to understand how the pandemic's impact varied across the population. This research provides valuable insights into the nuanced effects of the pandemic on student learning and highlights areas requiring further attention and support.
Because the 2020 NRT was administered before the first national lockdown, its results serve as a crucial pre-pandemic baseline. Comparing these results with the 2021 NRT outcomes allowed researchers to pinpoint significant changes in performance attributable to the pandemic.
The initial findings, published in the 2021 Results Digest, revealed a notable decline in overall mathematics performance, as anticipated given the widespread educational disruption. Surprisingly, English performance remained largely consistent between 2020 and 2021, showing no significant differences at any of the key grade boundaries.