Coronavirus and the state of homeschooling in Great Britain

The state of homeschooling in the UK during the coronavirus lockdown 

Dawn Strachan, founder of Clara James Tutoring, comments: 

“More than half of parents surveyed said their child was struggling to continue their education while at home, and children lacking the motivation to study was one of the main reasons.

“At the start of lockdown, many parents attacked home-schooling with enthusiasm, with an overconfident few feeling that they could do a better job than professional teachers.

“The reality dawned quickly after countless rows over English lessons at the kitchen table and lots of head-scratching about the baffling new methods for doing long division.

“As lockdown wore on, more and more families turned to tutors for help as parents realised that working, managing a house and being a full-time educator was too much. 

“For those that did try to educate their children, many felt they lacked the expertise to support their kids, while others lacked the time and resources to properly present the information to their pupils. 

“We’ve seen tensions rise within families as adults and children alike adapted to their homes being transformed into a place of work and education.”

Analysis of homeschooling in Great Britain during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey.