Almost half of parents in the North West are concerned their children will fall behind in school during lockdown

The coronavirus crisis has dealt a bitter blow to the aspirations of many and now for parents of pupils in primary, secondary and further education, it is down to them to pick up the pieces

Today marks the day students across the UK would have been returning to schools, colleges and universities for their critical summer term and exam period which goes so far in determining their next steps and shaping their lives.

However, the coronavirus crisis has dealt a bitter blow to the aspirations of many and now for parents of pupils in primary, secondary and further education, it is down to them to pick up the pieces.

This is a daunting prospect for many home-schooling mums and dads across the UK with 46% admitting their biggest concern is their child or children falling behind in their subjects with 35% fearing they are already finding it impossible to stick to a daily routine and ensure work is done.

And the stress of home-schooling is having a negative impact on other aspects, with 45% admitting it is affecting their home life, and while 31% have revealed that home-schooling is better than no school at all, it is taking up too much emotion, time and energy.

The unenviable task facing those parents teaching children is also balancing the demands of work while getting to grips with the school curriculum.

Indeed, 37% are worried about not knowing the subjects well enough to teach their kids with 28% struggling with maths while languages and physics also cause home-schooling headaches for overwhelmed mums and dads.

With more parents spending more time helping their children (31%) with their schoolwork, 13% of them work late to complete their own job-related tasks.

There is little wonder why almost half of parents (48%) say that they have learned to appreciate and respect the work that teachers do even more following their home-schooling experience.

There are some positives that have come out of the COVID-19 pandemic though, with 30% of parents having more family time and 14% saying they would even consider permanent home-schooling for their children in the future.

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.