What happened to learning during lockdown?

The emerging consensus to prioritise school reopenings is welcome. But how the return to school is managed is just as important as when. IFS Research Economist Adam Salisbury presents our latest research on the effects of the partial reopenings of schools in June and July 2020 on children's learning, showing that an optional return risks widening the gaps between disadvantaged students and their better-off peers. Even if the return to school is compulsory and soon, we will still need substantial additional support for poorer pupils.