Staff crisis hampering children’s pandemic recovery, says Ofsted

Pupils with the most complex needs were often the least well served, the report said. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA

Children’s recovery from the pandemic is being held back by a workforce crisis in schools, colleges and early years, with children who have special education needs among those worst affected, according to England’s schools inspectorate, Ofsted.

Publishing her annual report on Tuesday, Ofsted’s chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, said the Covid pandemic continued to “cast a long shadow” over children’s education and social care, and despite teachers’ best efforts, recovery was “far from complete”.