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Inequalities in young peoples' educational experiences and wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Jake Anders

    (UCL Centre for Education Policy & Equalising Opportunities)

  • Lindsey Macmillan

    (UCL Centre for Education Policy & Equalising Opportunities)

  • Patrick Sturgis

    (LSE Department of Methodology)

  • Gill Wyness

    (UCL Centre for Education Policy & Equalising Opportunities)

Abstract

While the health risks of Covid-19 for young people are low, they have borne a heavy cost of the pandemic through intense disruption to their education and social lives. These effects have not been experienced equally across social and demographic groups. Using data from a nationally representative survey of 4,000 young people linked to their education records, we study inequalities in young people's experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic. We find particularly stark inequalities by socio-economic status, with young people from poorer families facing disadvantage on multiple fronts, particularly in their experiences of home learning, returning to school, and exam cancellations compared to more advantaged young people. Gender and ethnic inequalities were more mixed, though young females reported significantly lower wellbeing scores than males. This evidence suggests that the pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities, meaning policymakers concerned with increasing equity and social mobility now face an even bigger task than before.

Suggested Citation

  • Jake Anders & Lindsey Macmillan & Patrick Sturgis & Gill Wyness, 2021. "Inequalities in young peoples' educational experiences and wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic," CEPEO Working Paper Series 21-08, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Jul 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucl:cepeow:21-08
    as

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    File URL: https://repec-cepeo.ucl.ac.uk/cepeow/cepeowp21-08.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2021
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Jake Anders & Catherine Dilnot & Lindsey Macmillan & Gill Wyness, 2020. "Grade Expectations: How well can we predict future grades based on past performance?," CEPEO Working Paper Series 20-14, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Aug 2020.
    6. Per Engzell & Arun Frey & Mark D. Verhagen, 2021. "Learning loss due to school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 118(17), pages 2022376118-, April.
    7. Raj Chetty & John N Friedman & Michael Stepner & Opportunity Insights Team & Camille Baker & Harvey Barnhard & Matt Bell & Gregory Bruich & Tina Chelidze & Lucas Chu & Westley Cineus & Sebi Devlin-Fol, 2024. "The Economic Impacts of COVID-19: Evidence from a New Public Database Built Using Private Sector Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 139(2), pages 829-889.
    8. Gary S. Becker, 1975. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education, Second Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck75-1.
    9. Ludger Wößmann & Vera Freundl & Elisabeth Grewenig & Philipp Lergetporer & Katharina Werner & Larissa Zierow, 2020. "Bildung in der Coronakrise: Wie haben die Schulkinder die Zeit der Schulschließungen verbracht, und welche Bildungsmaßnahmen befürworten die Deutschen?," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 73(09), pages 01-17, August.
    10. Lee Elliot Major & Andrew Eyles & Stephen Machin, 2020. "Generation COVID: emerging work and education inequalities," CEP Covid-19 Analyses cepcovid-19-011, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
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    Cited by:

    1. Carl Cullinane & Jake Anders & Alice De Gennaro & Erin Early & Erica Holt-White & Rebecca Montacute & Xin Shao & James Yarde, 2022. "Lockdown Learning," CEPEO Briefing Note Series 19, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Oct 2022.
    2. Erica Holt-White & Alice De Gennaro & Jake Anders & Carl Cullinane & Erin Early & Rebecca Montacute & Xin Shao & James Yarde, 2022. "Mental Health and Wellbeing," CEPEO Briefing Note Series 22, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Nov 2022.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; socio-economic status; gender; ethnicity; wellbeing; inequality.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

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