Learning from Lockdown: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Australian Students, Families, and Teachers

This report investigates the educational inequalities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, focusing on the perspectives of students, families, and teachers. Conducted between 2020 and 2023, the study examines the long-term effects of school lockdowns and transitions to online learning, revealing how existing socioeconomic, geographic, and technological disparities were intensified. Through a multi-phased qualitative research design, insights were drawn from surveys and interviews with students aged 15-19, parents, and teachers who either left or considered leaving the profession. Key findings highlight increased mental health challenges, engagement difficulties, and the digital divide, with disadvantaged communities, particularly in Western Sydney, suffering the most. The report underscores the ongoing pandemic legacies, including the reshaping of family learning dynamics, the burden on teachers, and the call for systemic reforms. It provides recommendations for policy improvements to address mental health, equity, and the future of education in a post-pandemic landscape.