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This paper combines novel data on the time use, home learning practices and economic circumstances of families with children during the COVID-19 lockdown with pre-lockdown data from the UK Time User Survey to characterise the time use of children and how it changed during lockdown, and to gauge the extent to which changes in time use and learning practices during this period are likely to reinforce the already large gaps in education attainment between children from poorer and better-off families. We find considerable heterogeneity in children’s learning experiences - amount of time spent learning, activities undertaken during this time and availability of resources to support learning. Concerningly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, this heterogeneity is strongly associated with family income and in some instances more so than before lockdown. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that any impacts of inequalities in time spent learning between poorer and richer children are likely to be compounded by inequalities not only in learning resources available at home, but also those provided by schools.
Authors
Deputy Research Director
Monica is a Deputy Research Director and Professor of Economics at the University of Bristol, with an interest in Labour, Family and Public Economics.
Associate Director
Sarah is an Associate Director in the Education and Skills sector at the IFS, holding a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Research Fellow
Alison is a Senior Research Economist of our Institute with research interests in the economics of gender, marriage and education.
Deputy Research Director
Sonya Krutikova is an Associate Professor of Economics at Manchester University and IFS Deputy Research Director.
Associate Director
Christine's research examines inequalities in children's education and health, especially in the early education and childcare sector.
Angus Phimister
Lucy Kraftman
Almudena Sevilla
Working Paper details
- Publisher
- The IFS
Suggested citation
Andrew, A et al. (2020). Inequalities in children’s experiences of home learning during the COVID-19 lockdown in England. London: The IFS. Available at: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/inequalities-childrens-experiences-home-learning-during-covid-19-lockdown-england (accessed: 18 April 2024).
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